


Gladiator Fairy

by artemismagician



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Multi, One-Sided Attraction, Romance, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:28:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 34
Words: 69,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26115706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemismagician/pseuds/artemismagician
Summary: Marina had been locked in this cage and forced to fight for as long as she could remember. With no hope and no chance, what will she choose to do when someone finally extends a hand?
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser, Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet, Laxus Dreyar/Original Female Character(s), Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 7
Kudos: 101





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What keeps me writing is seeing kudos, comments, and bookmarks, so if you enjoy this work please let me know it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Lucy was out of money, and rent was almost due. She unconsciously bounced, scanning the job board to see if there was anything she could do for some quick cash.

“Whatcha doin’?” Came a familiar voice behind her. She jumped, turning around to see Natsu grinning ear to ear.

“Don’t do that!” She shouted at him, before turning back around to look at the board. “I’m broke and need to find something easy.”

“Why’s it gotta be easy?” Came Natsu’s reply. This was not surprising, but Lucy still felt annoyance rise in her chest. Whatever job they inevitably picked out, they would be able to handle just fine together. That’s how it had always been, especially when Erza, Gray, and occasionally Juvia -- albeit only to be with Gray -- tagged along. They were a dream team, and she took pride in that. Still, pride doesn’t pay for rent.

“It has to be if she wants to do it on her own,” Came Happy’s voice from above. Lucy jumped again at the suddenness and nearly grabbed the blue cat out of the sky to give him a piece of her mind.

“Whatever!” She shouted, grabbing for a random posting. She hadn’t looked at the job yet, but the reward was - her eyes widened to near disproportionate levels. “Two million jewel?” She yelled loud enough for the entirety of the FairyTail guild to hear. The room went silent, causing Lucy to look around and see everyone was staring. I didn’t think my reaction was that overboard, she thought to herself, feeling uncomfortable at the stares.

“That’s not a job you want,” Came Mira’s voice from behind the bar. She hadn’t looked up from a glass she was cleaning. “At least, not just the two of you.” Happy started to protest he would also be going, but his cries were tuned out.

“Why not?” She asked, scanning the posting.

“Because that’s a job we’ve already claimed.” Lucy nearly rolled her eyes at the voice. She turned to see the Thunder Tribe walking towards her.

Natsu stood in front of her, not letting them take the job from her hands. “Yeah? Well if you already called it, why was it still up?”

Laxus scoffed, “Do you not see the ranking, you idiot?” Lucy hadn’t looked much beyond the reward, but when she did she saw it was an S - class mission. For two million jewel, that wasn’t too surprising. Still, they had Erza on their team, so they shouldn’t have any problems accepting the job.

“Why don’t you all go?” Came Mira again.

Natsu shot her a look before exclaiming, “No way, why would we share a job with these losers?”

“Losers, huh?” Laxus said, clearly amused. “Remind me, how did your S-class trial go, Natsu?”

Natsu hesitated for a moment, before becoming fired up again. “That was a technicality and you know it. I’m an S-Class in everything but title.”

“Which is the only thing that matters,” Laxus replied.

“I think a group mission would be a fabulous idea,” said Erza who had wandered from the other side of the room to join in the commotion. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy shot her an incredulous look, which she either was oblivious to, or just ignored.

“What job is it everyone is so worked up over?” Gray had been sitting at the bar, Juvia by his side trying to keep grasp of his arm to her chest.

-

“In this corner, weighing in at two hundred fourty three pounds, known for crushing the skulls of his master’s enemies, the Hound!” Came the voice of the announcer. Down on the battlefield, surrounded by rows upon rows of rowdy people who wanted to see blood walked a massive man with a steel helmet on through an opened gate. Cheers erupted from the audience to see if this person, acclaimed for being a warrior for the king in the North, would be able to challenge the champion.

“And in this corner,” The announcer continued. The gate opened, and out came a person with a much smaller stature. They were covered head to toe in material that blocked out any gender features. “The reigning champion, the Leviathan!” Cheers and boos alike erupted from the audience, and the sponsor, and the owner of the Pits, and the Leviathan leaned forward in his seat. He grinned ear to ear, knowing the outcome of this battle.

“Fight!”

The Leviathan made no movement, looking reminiscent to a scarecrow, or even a punching bag. The Hound charged forward, a sword in his hand. The Leviathan lifted a hand, pointing their middle and forefinger outwards. The Hound stopped in place, gurgling noises could be heard, but they were faint enough to where the audience was unaware. What they could see though, was him clutching at his neck. He scratched frantically, trying to remove whatever it was that was causing him such anguish. Fans of the Pits knew coming into this what the Leviathan was capable of, and most knew that the Hound’s master was a fool to have entered him anyway.

The Leviathan brought her hand down slowly, before jutting her arm outwards. The Hound stopped struggling, blood spurting from under his helmet in massive quantities. After all, neck slits had a habit of gushing. He hit the floor, still twitching for a few moments, before going limp.

“And the winner is, the Leviathan!” Called the announcer over the cheers and jeers. The Leviathan’s master left his seat, going to greet his fighter. This was the last fight of the day, the sun already having set over the horizon. When the Leviathan came out, it signaled the end: not only for any who faced them, but for the challengers of the day. Tomorrow would come more blood, just like every day before, and every day that would come after.

“I told you to drag it out longer,” Crawford, the Leviathan’s master asked. He stared at the, clutching the bars of their cage as they sat silently on the dirty mattress he so kindly provided.  
The Leviathan gave no answer, so Crawford opened the gate, shooing away the guards that locked them inside. Slowly, his peeled his clothes off, standing before them completely naked after a few moments.

“Then why don’t I remind you just what happens when you don’t listen to me,” Crawford yanked the mask from the Leviathan’s face. Long blue hair fell down her shoulders, her face was gaunt, cheeks sunken in from lack of food. There was no light in her eyes, and she refused to look up to her captor.

-  
“It says,” Lucy said, squinting at the letters on the page. “It’s to rescue a girl.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Though begrudgingly, the two teams of four set out. One was Team Natsu, comprising of Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and Gray. The second was the Thunder Tribe, Laxus, Evergreen, Freed, and Bickslow. Happy trailed behind with flight, but no one but Natsu really counted him onto any team.  
Laxus stood at the lead of both groups, hands in red pant pockets. His headphones were on, playing classic rock as he just enjoyed the summer breeze. Natsu took this as a clear challenge, and tried to walk as fast as the taller man. Laxus glanced downward as the pink haired dragon slayer, who was taking a step and a half extra to keep up with his long strides.  
Lucy watched from the back of the group where Erza pulled her trough of items through the town. Truly, this group was not usual. 

“So where exactly is this place?” Gray asked, looking to the sky. They got to the train station with ease, but both Natsu and Laxus looked displeased while getting on.  
Erza answered him as they boarded, pulling a map out of one of her various suitcases. “About thirty miles to the west.”

“And who exactly is this girl?” Lucy asked. She imagined a princess locked in a tower, long flowing hair, and rosy cheeks. Maybe she was a captive heiress, who was being held for ransom, she could certainly relate to that. 

“Marina,” Evergreen said, crossing her legs dramatically, as if to let everyone in the vicinity know she was the baddest of bitches. “Not much other information.”

“Not even a description?” Lucy asked. The train had begun to move, and Natsu looked ready to hurl at any moment. Luckily, Erza at the forethought to bring a bucket for this very type of occasion. After all, not long ago Natsu really did throw up on another passenger. 

Laxus on the other hand was turning a light shade of green, his stomach gurgling every so often to indicate his distress. 

Evergreen read through the job posting once more, looking to see if there was any information she had missed. A last name, a hair color, eye color, anything that would be able to give them any sort of detail who this Marina girl was. Finally, she shook her head. Nothing more than a name, a location, and a reward. 

“What I don’t get is why this is such a high reward listening,” Lucy frowned. “Does anyone know where this place is?” 

Erza set her lips into a line, unhappy with the answer to Lucy’s question. “There have been rumors about this area,” She began, looking downward as she spoke. “Within Fiore, there is a place known as The Devil’s Tomb, where many shady black market deals are said to occur.” 

Lucy suppressed a shiver, not keen on what could be waiting for them in a place called The Devil’s Tomb. 

“And these black market deals go much beyond drugs and illegal goods,” Freed added. He and the other of the Thunder Tribe were in the row over from where Team Natsu sat. “Such as body parts, organs, or humans themselves.” 

“They sell humans?” Lucy asked, aghast. She threw her arms around herself, bringing her legs to her chest in clear fear. “What if they try to sell us too?’ 

“It’s not people who visit that get trafficked,” Freed said soothingly. “It's the underprivileged, the tricked, or the ones whose families sold them into it.”

“That’s horrible,” Lucy said. Her mind once again drifted to who this Marina girl could be. Was she a girl being sold? Did her family sell her into the trade, and now she was being made to do all sorts of horrible things? While Lucy knew nothing about this girl but her name, she had the urge to save her more than ever. There was no way she was going to let some poor girl stay in that kind of place. 

-

Marina was sore, bruised, and bloodied. Her injuries had nothing to do with her fights, instead, they had everything to do with her captor. Her master, as he so often liked to remind her. Still, she barely felt the pain anymore. This had gone on for years, being his champion, and his slave. The Leviathan. She hardly ever got injured in battle, and if she did it was only because she had been deprived of food and water for so long. 

Her head lulled to the side, seeing the silhouette of two guards outside her cell. Crawford had long since left her a mess, and she still laid there bare. What was the point to getting dressed when it was likely the same torture would occur again soon after? What she had learned during these long years was that doing what you’re told makes it just a little more bearable. She had been punished for the quick death of the Hound, and was forbidden from using her magic in the next fight, as well as any water for the next two days. Her mouth was already dry, but still she tried to create any sort of saliva in order to moisten her mouth. A futile effort, but it was all she could do to stay sane at times. When in this cage, all there was to do was wait for Crawford to tell her it was time to fight or fuck or sleep. “Get up,” A guard called. She didn’t move. It wasn’t Crawford speaking, so she didn’t know if the words were truly for her. She heard the sudden sound of clanging, and assumed it was from the same guard kicking the bars to her cell. “Get up you fucking slut.” 

Now she knew it was her he was talking to. She rolled over, still fully exposed. She had long since lost her bodily autonomy, as well as any sort of shyness. So many had been here when she was taken as a child, and they heard her when she would scream and beg for it to stop. Now, they heard nothing but silence from her. Still, they had always known what was happening, but were paid enough by Crawford to keep silent. When he wasn’t around, they would say degrading things to her, and threaten her with the same violence Crawford inflicted, but they knew better. They knew Crawford didn’t share. 

“You’ll have another fight soon, put on your rags,” He ordered. She did as she was told, then waited for more orders to come. 

-

Gray kicked Natsu off the train, leaving the pink haired boy to painfully slide down the steps like a slug until he hit the ground. He rolled onto his back, arms and legs spread far apart so he could recover from being on a train for so long. The rest of the group followed, though Laxus handled his motion sickness much less dramatically than Natsu did, he also wished to take a second to recover. Not that he would ever tell anybody that. 

Evergreen and Erza looked at the map together. Erza and Laxus were surely the most powerful on the team, but Evergreen’s envy of Erza’s Titania status left her always trying to compete. Erza paid no mind as she felt Evergreen try to pull the map from her hands, not having to do more than pinch the page between her fingers to keep it. 

“We’ll have to keep going West,” Erza announced. 

“I thought it was only thirty miles to the West!” Natsu complained, still on the ground. “Don’t put me on another train.” 

“It was thirty miles West that the train could take us,” Erza explained. “We’ll have to walk the rest of the way.” After all, she thought to herself, you can hardly have a black market in plain view.  
When they walked out of the station, they were met with the harsh heat of the desert. This was a place no one wanted to come, therefore the perfect place for a crime ring. In Magnolia there were enough trees nearby to at least provide shade, but here there wasn’t even a breeze to block the heat. 

“I’m going to burn!” Evergreen said, reaching into a purse to pull out sunscreen. She looked to Laxus first, who had his eyes on the small town before the desert sand stretching over the horizon. “Laxus, I can help put this on your back,” She said sweetly. \

“I’ll be fine,” he replied, not looking back. 

“I’d actually love some sunscreen,” Lucy chimed up, only to receive a scathing look from Evergreen. Clearly the sunscreen was only permitted to be used on her and her leader. Lucy held her hands up in defeat, only for Erza to place a bottle of sunscreen in her hand. 

“I can help get your back if you need,” Erza said plainly, only to cause Lucy to giggle and apply what she could to her face, neck, arms, and stomach.  
The group set off, checking into a nearby hotel in order to have a place to set all of Erza’s belongings. Then, they trekked forward to find The Devil’s Tomb. After getting lost for a few hours, they were able to find the arena before the sun set. Most of the group put their shirts on their heads to avoid the sun blaring on their faces, and all were drenched in sweat. 

“I think we just walked another thirty miles,” Lucy said, flattening her hand and fanning herself with it. 

“I think it was more like fifty,” Happy complained. 

“Are you here for the fights?” An attendant asked, looking at the odd group. 

Natsu immediately regained his energy. “Fights? Hell yeah we’re here for the fights!”

“Sign here please,” The attendant said, holding out a clip board with a pen. Before anyone had a chance to stop him, his name was down. 

“God, I wish you didn’t come,” Laxus said, leaning on a nearby pillar. 

“What, you want to go too? We haven't had a real fight in a while, I’ll take you down as a warm up,” Natsu exclaimed, before being pulled back by Erza. 

“Get any and all information you can about this Marina,” Erza told him, only for him to be barely listening. He was taking in all the stimuli with childish excitement. “Did you hear me?” 

“Yeah, yeah.. Marina, grill the fighters. I got it,” Natsu said, following the attendant into the area the fighters are held. 

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Gray murmured, only to have the others nod in agreement


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Natsu was brought to a holding area for the other fighters. Most were larger men, much older than him. Scars covered their bodies, as well as armor and weaponry. Natsu scanned the area, seeing that weapons were supplied, based on how many different varieties lined the walls. Naturally he grabbed none, his own magic would be enough to take anyone down.

“Kid,” Someone said, but he was too busy touching the blade of an axe to see if it was actually sharp or not to listen. “Hey!” A man grabbed him roughly by the shoulder, turning him around and getting a swift jab to the stomach.

“You know, there’s plenty of better ways to get someone’s attention, dude,” Natsu said, looking down at the man clutching his stomach.

Someone came behind Natsu, pulling his arms back so he couldn’t fight anymore. This was a huge mistake, because immediately Natsu’s palms turned to flames and the man let go. The smell of burning clothes and flesh thick in the air. More and more of the fighters began to surround Natsu, and he was prepared to take them all down with a smile on his face. Thoughts of Marina had completely faded and were replaced with excitement.

“Save it for the ring,” One of the guards called. The gates opened, and all the other fighters, still glaring at Natsu as they began to file out. He followed suit as the last one to leave the holding area. The arena was nothing special, just dirt and sand. He scanned the crowd, trying to find any familiar faces, but shrugged when he couldn’t.

One at a time the announcer called out the name of a sponsor, before calling the name of the fighter. “The Lord of Chetya brings: The Red Lion!” He called out, and a fighter with long red hair lifted his arms in recognition. “From places unknown: Natsu!”

“Whoo-hoo!” Natsu cheered for himself, only to receive boos from the crowd. “Oh, well nevermind then,” He muttered to himself.

“Begin!”

Naturally Natsu had already made enemies from the moment he stepped foot in the holding area, so everyone was coming after him. Someone lashed out with a sword, and Natsu used his Fire Dragon Roar to blow the non magic users back. Not many were able to withstand his attack, but those who could charged.  
Elements of all kinds flew at him, which he dodged with relative ease. These fighters were the champions of leaders, they weren’t guild members. They didn’t know how to fight like a wizard, especially one that didn’t mind fighting dirty. That is, until an earth mage locked his feet in place using the dirt. Natsu leaned down, trying to pull at a leg with his hands, but this gave the earth user the opening to catch his hands as well in the earth trap.

“Okay, well -” Natsu said to himself. “How about this!” His hands exploded from the earth prison in a dance of flame. The earth user wasn’t nearly as fast as Natsu, and got a flame ridden punch to the face. Only a few more fighters left. What next? Natsu didn’t wait to find out, already running as fast as his sandaled feet could take him. The magic user before him was ready, a plant user it seemed, as roots sprouted from the ground and flew at Natsu.

“That’s a bad match up!” Natsu called out, ripping through the roots in a blaze. When he got to the mage, he flew feet first and kicked him square in the chest. He turned around, a sword already coming for his face. His first thought was: _I wonder if I can eat iron like Gajeel_? So, he caught the blade in his teeth. Running his tongue along the flat part of the blade, he spit it from his mouth. “Nasty!” He called out, once again lighting his fist a flame and hitting the opponent.

The cheers indicated the crowd loved Natsu for taking on a whole menagerie of trained knights, champions, and warriors from noble lands. Natsu on the other hand was left mildly disappointed that was it.

“Can this new competitor from places unknown hope to beat the Pit’s champion, the Leviathan?” The announcer called, hyping the crowd up. They cheered Natsu’s name, making him much happier than the boos did earlier.

“That’s more like it,” He said with a grin.

Crawford grinned maniacally from his seat high in the stadium. This boy may actually give her a challenge, he thought to himself. That will teach her to defy an order. Already images of her body being burnt and mutilated filled his mind. And if this boy couldn’t do it, he would.

-

Marina was brought out to the holding area for the champion, waiting for her title to be called before she stepped out into the arena. She felt shaky, especially since she sweat under these thick clothes. She was already dehydrated, and her vision started to swim.

Maybe I’ll finally die today, she thought to herself. She knew better than to have any sort of hope though. Even if she did die, she had no doubts Crawford would find a way to bring her back. Her suffering was endless, and that was something she had accepted.

“The Pit’s champion,” She heard the announcer call out, and the gate to the holding area began to open. “The Leviathan!”

She stepped out, meeting the gaze of a boy with no armor or weapons. Already she knew there was something off about that. How could someone with no protection or weaponry get to the final round of the fights today? She wondered to herself. It didn’t matter though, because she would kill him.

-

The two teams of four spread out in pairs to try and grill audience members if they knew anything about Marina. Lucy with Happy, Erza with Gray, Laxus with Freed, and Bickslow with Evergreen. Each team came to the same conclusion, no one had any idea who this girl was.

“Natsu is facing the champion,” Gray noted as he and Erza walked around. She glanced downward, watching as the champion known as the Leviathan walked into the arena covered from head to toe in material.

“How can they fight like that?” Erza wondered aloud. It was the midst of summer, and even though the sun had already set the temperature was still too high to comfortably walk around in such garments.

“This kid has no idea what he’s gotten himself into,” The pair heard someone stay from the stands. “The Leviathan is going to tear his cocky head off.”

“And why do you think that?” Erza asked the man with feigned interest. “Is the Leviathan truly powerful?”

The man and his companions shot her an incredulous look. “Are you serious? The Leviathan is the reigning champion of the Pits; has been for over ten years. He’s undefeated.”

Erza felt a hint of discomfort at that. Surely Natsu could beat this Leviathan, like he had all the enemies in the past.

-  
When the fight began, it was Natsu who charged forward. The Leviathan didn’t move an inch, waiting for him to get to her. His fist lit up with fire as he punched. The Leviathan was gone before he could make contact.

“Huh?” Natsu got out before he hit the wall behind where they just stood. The wall crumbled under the weight of his attack, and he turned around to look in all directions where his opponent could have gone.

Before he could even blink, he saw the hooded black figure real back and punch him into the ground. His vision went black for a moment, a crack being heard from his jaw. Luckily he was quick to recover, lighting a foot up with fire as he kicked upwards while the Leviathan thought they had already finished the fight. They jumped back, but not quick enough. A piece of the thick black cloth they wore caught fire. It was a piece of the hood, and as the Leviathan tried to put it out, it claimed enough for Natsu to catch a hint of a very pale and thin neck, and blue hair.

Natsu squinted, and a passing thought became his strategy. He ran forward, fists lit up with flame, but as he punched, he got close enough to the Leviathan’s ear to say, “Are you Marina?”

He heard the sound of a girl's breath hitch, and the Leviathan pointed two fingers, slashing them across his chest. The skin opened, and blood jutted from the wound. Natsu hit the floor, and the Leviathan was called the winner.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

When Natsu woke up, he was back back at the hotel he and his group bought two rooms at. One for his team, and the other for the Thunder Tribe.

“What the hell?” He murmured to himself, leaning forward and scratching the back of his head. He flinched, a sudden sharp pain jolted through his chest. Looking down, he saw that his torso had been bandaged. 

“You’re awake!” Lucy called out. Natsu looked up, seeing the rest of his party filled the room, minus the Thunder Tribe. “What were you thinking?” Lucy demanded, now having his attention. “He could have killed you!”

He? Did she mean the Leviathan? Natsu wondered absentmindedly, before coming to a sudden realization. “Wait, did I lose?” 

“Yeah you lost, you idiot!” Came Lucy’s immediate reply. 

“The wound was deep, but not enough to kill you,” Erza said, arms folded across her chest. 

“Are you kidding me? He’s lucky to be alive!” Lucy called back. 

“I don’t think so,” Natsu said, crossing his legs and facing his group. “I think she let me live.”

Erza nodded. “Yes, that’s what I think too. From what the audience was saying, people don’t come out of a fight with the Leviathan alive. They’re usually ripped apart without a chance of survival.” She set her jaw, eyes hard. “So why did she let you go?” 

“Before she KOed me, I asked her if her name was Marina,” Natsu stated, a large grin on his face. “And I think that’s why she let me live.”

The room was silent for a moment, but Gray soon piped up. “So the girl we’re looking for is the champion of the fighting Pits? That’s what you’re telling me?” 

“They were very short in stature,” Erza noted, bringing an armored hand to her chin. “Maybe five foot two, or somewhere in that area.”

“Wait, I think we’re all overlooking the fact that this girl is a champion fighter. Why would she need rescuing if she’s so strong?” Lucy objected. 

Natsu set his lips into a line, thinking it over for a moment. “When I burned part of her outfit, I saw a bit of her collar bone. It was super-” He paused, trying to come up with a word that fit the description in his mind. He brought up a hand, touching his own collar bone, then pointing outwards. 

“Prominent?” Erza supplied.

Natsu pointed at her, “Yeah, that’s it! Like she isn’t being fed.” 

“So, how do we rescue her then?” It was happy this time, who flew over to where Natsu sat. 

The group thought to themselves, then heard a knock at the door. Erza opened it and the Thunder Tribe walked in. 

Laxus smirked at Natsu’s bandaged form. “Wow, you got pretty wrecked in there.”

Natsu jumped from the bed, an action that caused immediate pain. “Shut it, Laxus! Unlike you, I actually figured out who that Marina girl is with my enhanced detective work.” 

The rest of Team Natsu rolled their eyes, but didn’t correct him. After all, he really was the one to figure out the champion was Marina. They filled in the Thunder Tribe as to what they had figured out. 

“So we need to sneak in and find the girl,” Said Bickslow, his tiki’s chiming in, “Find the girl! Find the girl!” 

“Tonight,” Laxus said. “We’ll break in tonight, after the fights and find her.”

-

“You stupid bitch!” shouted Crawford, bringing down a whip on her back. She was on her knees, completely naked, with a rag in her mouth so she wouldn’t bite off her tongue. She gave a muffled scream, feeling the whip break through her skin, and blood fall down her back. He reached for her, yanking her by the shoulder and turning her around. The sudden movement hurt her new and healing wounds from past times he had done this. He squeezed her jaw in his hand, bringing his face mere inches from her’s. “When I tell you to do something, you fucking do it.” he leaned back up, kicking her so she laid her back on the ground. Once again she cried out in pain. “You weren’t allowed to use magic, I know you heard me tell you that. You’re not stupid enough to misunderstand that, are you? Or is this another act of rebellion?” he grinned ear to ear. “If it is, you know as well as I do how well that went for you last time.” 

She said nothing, staring at the ceiling, unmoving so that he would hopefully get bored and leave. She did know how well it went last time. For the first few years of captivity, she would try to escape, to use her magic to get past the guards and leave. Crawford would always find her, and drag her back by her hair. He had a power over her, because of the Lacrima placed in his chest. He could nullify her magic, then starve her until she couldn’t move, and torture her. 

This wasn’t an act of rebellion though, her use of her magic was done so out of fear. That boy, Natsu, she remembered the announcer call him, he knew her name. She hadn’t heard her name in so many years, so the surprise and fear when he said it caused her to lash out. Enough to let him live, and maybe come back for her. No, it wasn’t an act of rebellion, it was an act of survival. 

For the first time in a long time, she had hope


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Unsurprisingly, she struggled during her fights today. How could she not? Not only was she injured, she hadn’t eaten in the last three days, nor had any water. The opponent at the end of the day was able to get hits on her, something that surprised the crowd. 

She was also unable to use her magic, that was something she took care to remember this time. What ultimately killed her opponent, a champion from far east, was her smaller size and speed. He was larger, as were most of the fighters in the pits, but slower than her. The expression was: the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Tripping him wasn’t too hard, what managed to be difficult was grappling to stay on top of him. He was strong, there was no question of that. Before he had a chance to throw her, she managed to rip his helmet from his head, and dug her thumbs into his eyes. 

He screamed, and the crowd went wild. Fighting dirty was the only way to win, especially when you didn’t have armor. She grabbed for his helmet, slamming it down onto his face more times than she liked to count. When she could no longer feel him writhe, she knew she had won. 

Maybe the gore of the day would entice Crawford to feed her, or at the very least give her something to drink. It was maddening, always being hungry and thirsty, but more than anything being trapped in her own mind was the worst part of her captivity. She could hear the cheers and screams from her cell, but other than that she found herself trapped with her own thoughts. 

Crawford was waiting for her back in her cell, and without a word he stood and stripped her from head to toe before the guards. She stood there, naked, covered in scrapes, scars, scabs, and wounds that were in dire need of stitching. 

“Too skinny,” Crawford announced more to his guards than to her. “You’re disgusting, you know that?” he stepped forward, pinching her cheeks in his fingers. “Answer me, do you know how revolting you are?” 

She nodded. 

“If it weren’t for me, you would have died long ago,” He told her. “These Pits are the best thing that could have ever happened to you, don’t forget that. I am the best thing that could have ever happened to you.” he grinned. “And I want you to show me how much you appreciate me for being your savior.”

-

It was late when they arrived back at the Pits. There were guards outside, but only two at the entrance. It was Erza and Bickslow who incapacitated them, making sure to not make enough noise to alert anyone else. 

“This place is so creepy,” Lucy said, clutching her arms in her hands. 

“Yeah it is,” Happy agreed, flying overhead. “Almost like a ghost could come out at any moment…”

“Don’t say stuff like that!” She snapped, feeling more fear well up in her chest. 

“Ah!” Happy pushed her from behind ever so slightly, which made her nearly scream, before Erza slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. 

“Enough!” Erza said, glaring. “If we’re going to execute this rescue efficiently, we need to be on high alert.” She looked at Happy, who frowned. “Which means, no more playing games.” 

“Aye, sir,” He said mournfully. 

“Why don’t you just stay back,” Laxus said, walking though the entrance. “We don’t need eight people and a cat -” Happy was happy to be acknowledged. “For this mission. We only need people who can actually stay quiet. Which rules out,” he pointed to Natsu, “You,” he pointed to Lucy, “You,” he finally pointed to Happy, “And you.” 

“I could be quiet if I wanted to!” Natsu said, anything but quietly. 

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you coming with us,” Laxus sighed, Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow following behind him. “All you do is make things harder than they need to be.”

The Thunder Tribe and Team Natsu separated from each other, one going one way, and the other going in the opposite direction. 

-

Marina laid in silence, staring at the ceiling. The light lacrimas from the hall brought a dim light into her cell, so she traced the cracks in the walls with her eyes. She was in too much pain to sleep, dress, or do anything else. So, she reserved herself to falling into the darkness of her own mind. She didn’t even move when she heard steps, nor when she heard her guards tell someone to stop. It wasn’t until she heard the steps come up to her cell, and someone go, “Hey.” That she finally turned.

There stood a man who she had never seen before. He was tall, maybe a foot taller than her, muscular, blond, with a lightning strike scar on his right eye. She said nothing, so he then asked. 

“You Marina?” She nodded slightly. He sighed, going back to the guards he had knocked out, and rifling through their pockets. 

Marina made a sound, causing him to look back. She was shaking her head. 

“No what? No you don’t want to escape?” She shook her head again. “Damn it, can you say something instead of waiting for me to guess? I’m no mind reader.” 

She pointed to her lips, tapping on them ever so slightly. 

“Can you not talk?” He asked her, this time earning a nod. He called for Freed, who was more adept at dealing with things like this than he was. 

“Yes, Laxus?” A long haired, pretty faced man said, poking his head from down the hallway. 

“She can’t talk, figure that out while I try and find a key to her cell.” 

Another large man with a face covering what looked like tikis followed the man named Freed. “Why don’t we just blow up the bars, boss?” he asked. 

“Because that’ll alert more guards, and I would rather go home than deal with this heat anymore.” The man Marina now identified as Laxus said. 

Freed turned his attention to her, holding onto the bars and peeking his head through to look at her. “Can you come closer to me?” He asked her. She was apprehensive, but knew better than to disregard an order. She stood, and he noticed that she was completely naked. He averted his eyes, not just for her own privacy, but because she was completely emaciated. He found it hard to believe this girl was the Leviathan who was the champion of the fighting Pits. Her skin clung to her bones, which prominently jutted out sharply. Clearly she had not been fed in ages. 

She didn’t move, already knowing she was repulsive. Crawford made sure she was aware of that. When Freed noticed she didn’t grab for a covering of any kind, he looked back over and did his best to keep his face passive. He wished he had food with him, something at all to give her. 

“Can I touch you?” He asked her. She knitted her brows together, surprised by the question. No one had ever asked before if they could touch her. She never had a say in it, so her nod was tentative. He reached forward, touching her lips with the tips of his fingers. When he did, he saw script magic. “Ah,” He murmured to himself. “How long has it been since you were able to speak?” 

Obviously she couldn’t answer, not with the magic still in place. He began to work on undoing the magic. Laxus threw both guards against the wall, annoyed that neither had keys on them to her cell. He hoped that when she could speak again, she would tell him where they were so they could leave this hellhole. 

“Done!” Freed said, and with a small movement of his hand, the script magic dissipated from Marina’s lips. When she didn’t move, he said, “It’s okay, you can talk now.” 

Marina touched at her lips, feeling how dry and cracked they were due to dehydration. “Wah-” She began, her voice hoarse and painful from lack of use. 

“Wah?” Freed asked. 

“Wah-” She tried again, the sound making Evergreen flinch. “Ter.” 

“Water?” It was Evergreen who answered. She reached for her purse, grabbing a bottle of water and handing it to her through the bars. Marina turned savage. She nearly ripped the lid off, and didn’t account for how quickly she guzzled the drink down, nor for how long it had been since she had anything in her stomach. She wretched, throwing up most of the water she had just drank. She stared into her vomit, horrified that her body rejected the water. 

She turned quickly, eyes wide and enraged. “Who-” Freed’s face scrunched hearing her speak. It was a truly heinous noise. It was scratchy, almost like she was struggling to breathe as she spoke. “Are you?” She demanded. 

“We’re wizards from Fairy Tail,” Laxus answered. “We came to bust you out of here.”  
“For what purpose?” Marina asked, now gripping the bars in her hands. The group was uncomfortable, seeing this starving girl press her naked body against the bars. 

“It’s a job.” Laxus said simply. He took his coat off, black with fur lining, and handing it to her. When she stared at it without taking it, he said, “Put this on. You can’t run around naked. Especially not with those wounds.” 

She didn’t move for a moment, slowly taking the coat and covering herself with it. It was long, the material pooling around her feet like a cape. “What will you do with me after you ‘bust me out’?”

“Dunno,” Laxus said with a shrug. His words set off alarms in her mind. She bared her teeth, standing in a defensive position. 

“I will not let you take me,” she hissed, letting the coat fall to the floor. 

“And why not?” Laxus challenged, clearly not adept with handling such a broken person. 

“I know what people like you are like,” She sneered. “I am in hell, but at least it is only one man who makes me suffer. I will not let you and your group take turns raping me, and I will not become your slave.”

Everyone froze. Laxus gave her a long look, sighing after a moment. He walked toward the gate, placing a hand on one of the bars. “No one is going to do that. We’re going to get you away from here and get you some food,” he glanced downward to where she vomited the water. “And something you can actually keep down.”

They stared at each other for a while, his gray eyes meeting her green ones. 

“Is everything okay, you guys?” Another voice called, one Marina knew this time. It was the boy she spared in the Pits. Her face lit up with the realization he was with this group. Three others and a cat followed him. The red haired girl locked eyes with Marina for a moment before the pink haired boy walked to her cell door. “Hey Marina, thanks for letting me live.” he grinned. 

She had no response, nodding after a few moments. 

The boy turned back around, looking to Laxus and said, “Why the hell is she still in this cage?” 

“We don’t have a key, you idiot.” Laxus said pointedly, glancing down at where his coat still laid on the floor. Marina noticed that and picked it back up, draping it around her shoulders.  
“We don’t need any key,” The pink haired boy said, turning back around, wrapping his hands on the bars to her cell. “I’m Natsu, by the way.” His hands lit up with fire, heating up the metal and softening it to where he could pull it apart. Soon, she had an opening she could just step through. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what could be waiting for her if she really did make that step. The thoughts of them taking turns having their way with her made her stomach turn to knots. 

It was then she saw a hand extend to her. Natsu, she reminded herself. He held his hand out, a big smile on his face. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

-

The large group walked together quietly, Marina refusing to leave Natsu's side. She often glanced at the others, just to be sure their movements didn't turn into anything nefarious. If it came to it, she could kill at least most of them. She held the water Evergreen had given her in her hands, about a quarter of the liquid still remaining. 

"Stop right there!" Marina heard a guard yell. He was loud enough to where it was almost certain other guards would come as backup. She unscrewed the lid, and before anyone could move, she sent the water from the bottle out. Sharp as a blade it cut the guard's throat, blood pumping rhythmically from the wound with each of his final heart beats. A few turned to stare at her, but couldn't gawk for long. More were coming. 

"Run for it!" Erza called out, using a magic Marina had never seen before. She had transformed her clothing into a clearly magical set of armor. Though she wanted to minimize bloodshed - mostly of Team Natsu - she knew they'd likely have to fight. After all, this was a rescue mission. If it was easy, it wouldn't have been given to a wizard guild. 

"No way!" Natsu called back, standing his ground. Marina still refused to move from his side, so she readied herself with the same water she used to kill the guard. 

Natsu reared forward, punching into one of the guards that began to surround them. Marina followed in suit, separating the water into smaller droplets, and hurling them at her attackers at the rate of a bullet. They wore armor, she knew that from experience. She didn't have the magic energy to send a water droplet through them like a bullet, so instead she aimed for their eyes. Blood gushed into the air, and screams could be heard, before they were silenced. After all, not many people could survive a water bullet to the brain. 

"Let's go!" Laxus yelled to the pink and blue haired duo of Natsu and Marina. In that same moment, his body became enraptured in electricity, hurling it through the crowd of more approaching guards. Marina saw them hit the ground, wrinkling her nose as she smelled the chard bodies. Lightning was not a forgiving element. 

-

The blond girl known as Lucy was a celestial wizard, Marina found out when she used one of her gate keys to summon the maiden: Virgo. Virgo supplied clothes for Marina to change into, a kindness that she had never been shown before. All she wore for the last ten years was the black rags Crawford dressed her in so no one would recognize her. Not that anyone knew who she was anyway. Maybe it was because some people weren’t keen on fighting a girl, one so frail looking at that. 

She liked these new clothes, she decided. It was a sleeveless purple tunic romper that cinched at the waist. It had an accented design of lilies dancing over the fabric in a golden color that shined in the light. She was also given black boots that went to the knee. 

“There,” Lucy said, helping her put on all the clothes. “You look very pretty.” Marina furrowed her brows at the words, unsure if she was being made fun of. She still held Laxus’ coat in her arms, clutching it to her chest. Her living quarters hadn’t been the most sanitary, seeing as she was unable to find any bleach or cleaning products to handle the blood she dripped into the room. 

“I would like to do something with your hair,” Evergreen said, picking at a lock of unmanaged, curly, blue hair. Marina jerked back with wide eyes. Natsu was at her right, so she hid behind his back. He was the only one among them that had garnered her trust. 

“She doesn’t like being touched,” Freed explained. “Always ask before you touch someone.” Especially someone who has been getting tortured for years. 

“Sorry,” Evergreen apologized, barely able to see Marina’s face poke out from behind Natsu’s back. 

Marina glanced up to Laxus, who was standing a few feet away with hands in pockets. She gulped, earning a concerned look from Natsu. She walked out from behind Natsu, slowly walking up to Laxus with his coat in her hands. With shaky fingers, she held the coat back out to him. 

“Thank you,” She said, voice still hoarse, but not nearly as painful as earlier. “I am sorry I let it touch the floor.” He took it back without fuss, throwing it on over a long sleeved purple shirt. 

“Don’t worry about it,” He murmured so only she could hear. It was as much as he was willing to say. He understood her fear now, after hearing what the owner of the Pits had been doing to her. Without any kindness in her life, it was no wonder she was distrustful of people. 

The group walked back to the hotel, everyone eyeing Marina every so often. Instead of chugging water, Evergreen instructed her to sip every so often to not overwhelm her stomach again. Still, everyone was worried she may pass out at a moment's notice. She was limping, as her fight tonight ended up with her getting a fairly serious wound on her left leg. They bandaged it with what they had, but blood was staining the white fabric covering it. 

Natsu stopped, causing Marina to stop, as she was following his lead. He hustled to move in front of her, squatting down and holding his arms back. Marina stared down at him, unsure of what this strange position meant. 

“Get on,” Natsu said, turning back to look at her over his shoulder. 

“Get on what?” She questioned, still not understanding. 

“My back,” He said. “Climb aboard, I’ll carry you the rest of the way.” 

“Is that a good idea?” Came Lucy’s question. “You do still have that injury on your chest.” 

Natsu frowned, “Yeah and she’s got a lot worse all over. I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” 

Marina awkwardly climbed onto Natsu’s back, placing her hands in his shoulders as he lifted her up.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Marina asked, leaning forward into his ear. She was embarrassed, vulnerable, and confused. She had never experienced any form of social interactions in the last ten years, as her time with other people amounted to violence and torture. 

“Yeah, you’re light as a feather.” He answered with a smile. She leaned her face onto his shoulder and closed her eyes. Despite the pain she was still in due to past injuries, she felt safe for the first time. She slept. 

“She’s out cold,” Erza said after a few moments. Marina’s breathing became deep and even. “I wonder how long it’s been since she’s been able to sleep.” 

“Or do anything else,” Gray said, eyeing the sleeping girl. “She’s skin and bone. Hell, she couldn’t even talk until just a few hours ago. How long has it been since she had a conversation with someone?” 

A heavy silence took hold of the group, before Natsu said, “Doesn’t matter. She’s going to be okay now.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Marina had never been on a train before, so she didn’t know what to expect when she followed the other’s aboard. She took the seat next to Natsu, who looked anything but excited to be there. The moment the train took off, she understood why. She was sick. 

“Oh no, they’re both motion sick,” Lucy said, watching the two share a bucket to possibly throw up into. They were both green, and looked absolutely miserable. 

Luckily, the ride only took about a half an hour, but to the two who were heinously sick, it might as well have been hours. 

The moment she got off, she ran to a nearby trash can and threw up. Clutching the rim as she sunk down onto her knees. She didn’t have the excess calories or the hydration to waste, so vomiting took more out of her than she could give. 

“Are you okay?” Someone said from behind her. She felt a gentle hand touch her back, and she jerked around to face them. It was Lucy, looking both concerned and surprised. She lifted her hands, realizing her mistake. “I’m sorry, I forgot.” She rose to her feet, extending a hand down to Marina. 

Marina eyed it for a moment, unsure of what to do. 

“You’re meant to grab her hand,” Erza explained from behind Lucy, also watching Marina to make sure she was alright to continue. “So she can help you up.”

“Why?” Marina asked, hesitantly placing her hand in Lucy’s. As Lucy went to pull her up, Marina shakily rose to her feet before she got a chance. 

“In case you’re feeling weak or anything,” Lucy said, frowning that the blue haired girl didn't let her help her up. 

“Why would you help me though?” Marina divulged further into her question. “Your job was to rescue me, right? So why are you putting in this extra effort helping me beyond that?”

Natsu, who had been spread out on the floor of the train station, stood up. “Because we’re your friends!” He exclaimed with a grin. “And friends don’t let friends stay down.” 

“That’s all very cute and sentimental,” Laxus said with folded arms, looking a lot less green than he had on the train. “But where do we get the reward for rescuing her?” 

And who would have even wanted to rescue me? Marina wondered to herself. No one knew who she was, Crawford made sure of that. So how did they know her name, and why would they want to bother themselves to post a job with such a high reward? 

“My sisters!” Marina exclaimed after a moment. Everyone turned to look at her, her eyes wide and glassy. “No one else would have done that.” 

“You have a family?” Freed questioned, with raised eyebrows. Marina had been locked in the Pits for the last ten years, so why did they just now decide to post a job helping her? 

Marina nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, three sisters. I am the second oldest.” 

“Well great,” Laxus said, “Then we can find your sisters and you can go home.” 

“How do we find them though?” Gray asked. “Unless they show up to Fairy Tail, we have no way of knowing where they are.” 

Marina didn’t look discouraged, just knowing that her sisters were safe made flowers of joy bloom in her chest. She took a step forward, but then the world turned onto its side as she hit the ground. 

“What the hell happened?” Gray shouted as Natsu and Lucy ran to the fallen girl’s side. 

Lucy put a hand to Marina’s forehead, “She’s burning up!” Marina’s breaths were heavy and uneven, sweat pooling down from her body. 

“We need to get her back to Fairy Tail,” Erza announced. “The Master will know what to do.” 

“Yeah,” Natsu agreed, picking Marina up in his arms. “And Wendy can try to heal her.” 

-

Natsu kicked open the door to Fairy Tail before anyone had a chance to open them for him. “Hey, Master, Wendy, we need help here!” Everyone in the guild turned to look at the loud pink haired dragon slayer, startled by the sudden noise. 

Master Makarov sat at the bar, talking to Mirajane. He perked up, hearing Natsu call for him, but felt a heavy pit in his stomach when he saw why. 

“What happened?” Master Makarov asked, running to Natsu who laid the emaciated blue haired girl on a table. 

“She’s the girl we rescued on our last mission,” Natsu said, gesturing for Wendy to come over. 

“She looks like she hasn’t eaten in years,” Charle, Wendy’s Exeed friend noted, worried how Wendy would be able to help her at all. Wendy’s hands glowed with her Air dragon slayer magic, feeling for what could be wrong with the sickly thin girl. 

“Just about,” Came Freed’s response. “Her captor withheld food and water from her, and made her fight in the Pits.” 

“The Pits?” Master Makarov exclaimed. “Just who is this girl?” 

“The Levithan,” Erza said, watching as Wendy began to sweat as she used her magic. 

Master Makarov’s eyes went wide, before he furrowed his brow in confusion. “This girl looks like she can’t even walk, and you’re telling me that she’s the champion of the fighting pits? How is that even possible?” 

“She’s incredibly resilient,” Freed said, remembering the heinous things Marina said her captor did to her.

“She also has incredible magic,” Erza said, gesturing to Natsu with her chin. “She was able to take Natsu down in minutes.” 

“Well don’t say it like that,” Natsu mumbled with a frown. “But yeah, with her magic she cut through my skin like unzipping a zipper.” 

Before Master Makarov could say anything else, Wendy spoke up through haggard breaths. “There’s nothing I can do for her. There’s too much.”

“Then we’ll take her to Porlyusica,” Came Master Makarov’s solemn reply, eyeing the girl known as Marina warily. Just how did someone like her manage to survive this long in such a state?

-

“Well this is a great mess you’ve found yourself in,” Porlyusica, a pink haired medical mage noted to Fairy Tail’s Master. 

Marina laid in a bed, covered in a thin white sheet. Her skin likely hadn’t seen the light of the sun in years, so she was pale as chalk. Still, because of her fever a heavy flush colored her cheeks. 

“Is there anything you can do for her?” Master Makarov asked. 

“Her organs are failing,” Came her simple reply. “She’s dehydrated and malnourished to the point I’m surprised she was able to walk at all. In truth, she shouldn’t even be alive right now.” She set her lips into a line, “But there is one thing left I can try.” 

“And what’s that?” Master Makarov asked. 

Porlyusica bit the inside of her cheek, then gestured to a glass case holding a blue orb the size of a marble. “I could implant a water dragon Lacrima inside of her, that may be able to hydrate her body enough to hold on for a while, maybe long enough for her to plump up.”

“That would make her a second generation dragon slayer,” Master Makarov exclaimed. “Will her body be able to handle the change?”

Porlyusica quirked a brow. “I’m surprised you haven’t noticed Makarov. There wouldn’t be a change.” 

Master Makarov stared at her for a long while, disbelief written all over his features. “You can’t mean to say-”

She nodded. “She’s already a water dragon slayer.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

“Huh?” Said Gajeel and Natsu when they heard the news. “What do you mean she’s a dragon slayer?” 

Wendy and Laxus watched, staying silent as they took in that Marina was a water dragon slayer. While Laxus had no expression, Wendy’s eyes showed she felt the same amount of alarm as Natsu and Gajeel. 

Master Makarov nodded, “And like Sting and Rouge, she will be a third generation dragon slayer.” 

“But I didn’t smell any dragon slayer magic on her!” Natsu said, standing with fists raised. 

“She didn’t have any magic left for you to smell,” Said Laxus, arms folded over his chest. “She was also covered in blood from the fights, there was plenty to throw off the scent.” He frowned to himself. It also explained how she was able to tear Natsu’s skin apart like it was nothing. She manipulated the water within him to tear him at the seams. He clenched his jaw, knowing what waited for Marina when the Lacrima was placed inside her. The pain she would go through was immense, but maybe that was nothing compared to the pain she had already been through. 

Laxus stood up, walking towards the door. 

“Where are you going?” Master Makarov demanded. “I’m not done talking to you.” 

“What else is there to say, Old Man?” Laxus asked, hand on the doorknob. “I’m going to get a drink.”

“You know better than anyone I know what it’s like to have a Lacrima placed inside a weak body,” Master Makarov said. Laxus turned around, a scowl on his face. The reason he became a lightning dragon slayer at all was because his father implanted the lighting dragon Lacrima in his body because he was a weak and sickly child. 

“So what?” Laxus grumbled, not liking when his past with his father was brought up. Yes, he liked the strength he possessed, but the story of how he got it was not one he liked to think about. 

Master Makarov braced himself, knowing what his grandson’s reaction would be to his request. “So, I want you to help her figure out how to handle her new power.”

“What?” Laxus shouted, more surprised than upset. Surely the Old Man had finally lost his mind. There was nothing nurturing about Laxus, so why would he ask him to care for a girl that was clearly in the need for care and comfort?

“She’s going to be terrified when she wakes up,” Master Makarov looked downward, images of Laxus writhing in pain when his Lacrima was placed inside him running through his mind. “Help her through it. Help her understand and cope with this. Please Laxus, she needs someone who can understand.” 

“Hey wait a minute,” Natsu interjected. “I want to help her too. I may not have a Lacrima inside of me, but I’m a dragon slayer. I can help her figure everything out too.” 

Master Makarov thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Yes, and from what Erza told me, she seems especially fond of you, Natsu.” Natsu grinned, but Master Makarov wasn’t done. “Alright, then I want all of you to help her come to terms with her new reality.” 

“Wait, me too?” Gajeel asked, pointing to himself. 

“Yes, you too,” Master Makarov’s eyes narrowed. “Right now she’ll need all the support she can get from those like her. And you happen to be the only dragon slayers we have.” 

-

Porlyusica stood above Marina, who was only getting worse by the minute. Scalpel in hand, she made an incision right above the belly button. Marina moaned in pain, but made no moves to resist. Regardless, Porlyusica had tied her hands down so she couldn’t even if she wanted to. 

She held the water dragon Lacrima in her hand, staring down at the way it glowed blue in the light. Then, she slipped it between the folds of skin where she made the cut. Marina started to move, so Porlyusica stuffed herbs in her mouth that would help with the pain of her fever. Slowly she began to sew the girl up, knowing what would come within moments. 

Just as she finished the last stitch, Marina’s eyes shot open. Her green eyes were glassy as tears started to flow down the sides of her face. Her lips spread apart, and she shrieked. 

Porlyusica left the room. There were no herbs she could use to help her body accept the water dragon Lacrima. Only Marina could save herself now. 

-

Marina felt like she was floating in darkness. Everything around her was black. Was she back in her cell? Had all of this just been a dream? She wondered to herself, but when she tried to move she found herself stuck in place. 

The room lit up red, and she was face to face with Crawford. His smile spread slowly, unnaturally, ear to ear in a maniacal grin. His dark eyes hungered for blood, and not just the blood spilt in the pits. 

“Did you really think you could get away from me?” He asked, voice low. “You know you can’t hide from me. And now I’m going to punish you.” 

Her skin was flayed from her body, her muscle burnt to ashes. Her bones were fed to the dogs. The worst pain imaginable, Marina felt in her very soul. 

“You’ll be my slave forever,” Crawford’s voice droned. “You’ll never escape me.” 

I know that, Marina wanted to scream. I didn’t try to leave. I didn’t want to leave. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Just make it stop. Please, make it stop! 

That wasn’t the truth though, but right now Marina would have been willing to say anything to make the pain go away. To make it all stop. To finally die and be done with it all. All the bloodshed and the torture she had endured didn’t make her stronger, it made her terrified. She didn’t want power, she just wanted to be safe. She wanted to be dead. 

“So you're going to give up? Just like that?” Came a voice from outside the red room that was the prison cell of her own mind. 

I just want it to stop, she wanted to cry out. 

“Come on, show me what made you the reigning champion in the pits!” The voice shouted at her. “You didn’t give up when you were in hell, so don’t give up now that you’re saved!” 

I just want to die, was all she could think. I just want it to be over. 

“Don’t let that bastard win!” Said the voice. Something in Marina swelled at that. “Wake up and show him what a real fighter looks like! Make that bitch pay!” Crawford. If she died, every death she caused in the Pits would have been for nothing. Everything Crawford did to her would go unpunished. He would win, and she would be gone. He would find another champion, another soul to torture until they either fell in the Pits or to his hand. 

No, Marina couldn’t let someone else go through that, and she certainly wouldn’t die before she killed him. He would suffer for what he did to her, and she would enjoy every second of it. 

Her eyes snapped open, and with a sharp inhale, she was awake.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

At first all she could make out white. For a few long moments she thought she was dead, but soon realized what she was staring into was the ceiling. She closed her eyes after realizing she did not know where she was. With just a small amount of magic she could feel no water mass that would fit the amount a human would possess nearby, no one else was in the room. She opened her eyes, knowing that for now she was safe. She was in one of several beds lined up against both sides of the room, curtains between them for the semblance of privacy. While there were Lacrimas that provided light in the room, the main source was from a window on the adjacent wall. 

She slid the white sheet that laid across her body off, and that’s when she saw the long white medical gown she wore that tied in the back, as well as the wire that hooked up to an IV. She knew what it was because of how many times Crawford kept her from water to the point where she was unable to function. This must have been one of those times. She leaned up, and when she did, she heard the sound of metal hitting against metal. On the frame of the bed were cuffs to bound hands and feet. She stifled a shiver, keeping the white sheet over her shoulders as she slowly swung her legs to one side of the bed and touched her feet to the cold tile floor. 

Her legs were not so cooperative, her knees buckling the moment she put weight on them. She clung to the bed, holding herself up as much as she could. Taking a deep breath, she trudged forward, holding onto the metal bar of the IV so the needle connecting her to it would not rip from her skin. She walked slowly to the window, to be sure that she wouldn’t fall again. The last thing she needed was a head injury. There was a dull ache in her torso, but she ignored that for now. She had plenty of aches and pains that likely needed attention, but never got it. One new one wouldn’t slow her down.

The window was placed in the wall just low enough that she could lean on it, and when she did she felt the warmth of the sun. It wasn’t stifling, like she was used to under all the black rags. It was a gentle heat, one that warmed her skin in this cold medical room. 

She leaned forward, placing her forehead against the glass, eyes closed. That was when she felt a human amount of water start to come near the room she stood in. She tried to turn around, but was too weak and ended up slipping. Her back slid down the length of the wall, and she had no more energy left to stand. So, while seated, she held the metal bar of her IV close, possibly to be used as a makeshift weapon if necessary. 

The door opened, and there stood Natsu. He paused for a moment, taking in the scene before him. “Why are you on the ground?” He asked after a moment or two. 

She pointed upwards to the window above her, forgetting she was able to speak. 

Natsu grinned. “Had enough of this room then? Alright, lemme take you outside.” Natsu walked over to where she sat on the floor, his arms reaching out to pick her up, before freezing a moment. “Is it okay if I pick you up?” He asked, remembering the way she jerked back when Lucy tried to pat her back. 

Marina hesitantly nodded, and Natsu lifted her into his arms. “How are you feeling?” he asked, looking down at her. She cocked her head to the side for a moment, about to point to her mouth, but realized then that Freed had undone the script magic that kept her silent. 

Before she spoke, something caught her eye. A scar going across Natsu’s chest, visible under his unbuttoned tank top. It was the one she had made in the Pits. While it was still very much visible, it had healed back together. 

“How-” Her voice cracked, so she took a moment to clear it and try again. “How long was I asleep?” She asked, tracing the top of the scar with her pointer finger. 

“About two weeks,” Natsu said, walking through the door he had come in through. 

“Two-” She stopped, flabbergasted at the idea of being asleep for so long. The best night sleep she had in the last ten years was a mere four hours after recovering from a fight. “Where are we?” 

“Old Lady Porlyusica’s,” Natsu answered, walking down a hallway until he reached a sliding glass door. Natsu began to raise his leg, trying to open the door with his foot, but the moment Marina realized what was happening she reached out to open it herself. Natsu grinned down at her, “Thanks, I was worried I’d drop you if I tried that.” 

“Natsu!” Came an unfamiliar voice from behind them. 

Natsu looked back, but his body cloaked the stranger from Marina’s vision. “Hey Gajeel, what’s up?” 

“What’s up?” The one known as Gajeel asked, clearly taken aback by the question. “Where are you taking that girl? She needs to be in bed, Makarov is going to kill us both if something happens to her.” 

Kill? Marina looked up, alarmed at the idea of Natsu being killed, despite the fact that was her goal just a few weeks ago. 

“She wanted to go outside!” Natsu defended, walking out the now opened sliding glass door. 

“What if she gets hurt?” Gajeel objected, following behind Natsu outside. Marina was now able to see what the man looked like. He was tall and lean with muscular arms. His hair was long, completely black, and he was covered in piercings. 

Marina absentmindedly touched where her eyebrows laid on her face, imagining what she would look like with the same piercings. 

“How would she get hurt?” Natsu asked, setting Marina down on the grass. 

“What if she got stung by a bee?” was Gajeel’s immediate response, leading Natsu to throw his arms in the air. 

“What if, Gajeel? She’s already at Porlyusica’s house, I think she’ll be fine if she got stung by a bee.” 

Marina tucked her legs into her chest, wrapping her arms around them. This one smelled off too, Marina noted. None of the other’s she had met had the same smell as these two. The one known as Laxus was close, but still different. 

The two were head to head, clearly ready to fight. Not a real fight, Marina knew. One between friends that wouldn’t actually end in anyone dying. She could tell from the lack of bloodlust in the air. This was just how they quarrelled. 

“What are you?” Marina asked suddenly, making both boys stop to look at her with blank expressions. “You’re not like the others. You don’t smell the same.” 

The boys looked at each other for a moment, before turning back to her. “You mean you don’t know?” Gajeel asked with a quirked brow. Or rather, piercings. 

“We’re dragon slayers, just like you.” Said Natsu. Marina’s brows raised in surprise, never having met another dragon slayer before, much less two. 

She went to stand up, excitement overlapping caution, but a sudden pain in her torso caused her to flinch and fall back down. 

“Hey!” Gajeel shouted, running to where she sat on her knees. “You good? You can’t move around like that, you’re still recovering.” 

“Why do I hurt?” She asked, touching where the pain came from just above her belly button. 

“Because you got a Lacrima placed inside you,” Came someone else’s voice. It was Laxus who leaned in the doorway to the outside. “There’s going to be some side effects that don’t go away for a while.” Laxus looked to the dragon slayer boys, frowning to where a crease formed on his forehead. “And why the hell is she outside? If she gets anything in her stitches she could get an infection. Then then the Geezer will have all our heads.” 

“It wasn’t my idea,” Gajeel said, pointing to Natsu who rolled his eyes. 

“She’s been cooped up for weeks -- no, years inside. She should be able to enjoy the sun!” Natsu said louder than he needed to. Laxus rolled his eyes, walking to where Marina sat curled into herself. He went to pick her up, but before he could Natsu shouted, “Ask her first!” 

“Oh my god,” Laxus muttered under his breath, close enough so Marina could hear him. “Is it okay if I pick you up?” He asked robotically. 

“Why did I get a Lacrima placed inside of me?” Marina asked, not answering his question. In truth she wanted to stay outside just a bit longer.

Laxus sighed, standing up. “Because you were about to die, so the Old Lady put one in you to keep you alive.” 

“Was that why I was asleep for two weeks?” She questioned further, unsure of everything going on around her. 

“That and being so injured,” Laxus sighed, sitting next to her. “If you’re going to stay out here, I’ll watch over you. God knows these two can't.” 

“Why do you need to watch me?” He sat about a foot away from her, and she noted his smell again. Like the dragon slayer’s, but not quite. 

“So you don’t get yourself killed, I guess.” His answer was simple and to the point. 

Marina stared at him for a while, trying to understand. He could feel her gaze on him, but resigned himself to keep looking forward, unbothered. After a while she looked back downward at her feet. She wore no shoes, and loved the way the grass felt between her toes. It reminded her of the past, when she was free to run around the grass while her mother watched over her, much like this. 

“Do you have a dragon?” Marina asked, looking back up at him. She watched as he shook his head, leaning back with arms behind his head. 

“No, I’m a second generation dragon slayer,” Before she got a chance to ask what that meant, he continued. “I wasn’t raised by a dragon, but I have a lightning dragon Lacrima inside me.” He pointed to his chest with his thumb. 

“Second generation,” she murmured to herself. “So what does that make me?” 

“A third generation,” He closed his eyes. It had been a long time since he was able to just relax in the sun. “Because you were raised by a dragon and have a Lacrima.”

She pointed to where Natsu and Gajeel bickered. “What are they?” 

He was trying to remain as patient as possible, but a headache was starting to form behind his eyes. Damn the Geezer for making him do this. He didn’t know the first thing about helping people with trauma. Especially ones who had been in captivity for ten years. “First generation. They were raised by dragons, but don’t have a Lacrima.” 

“So-” 

He cut her off. “You ask a lot of questions.” 

She stayed silent for a moment, staring down at where he laid in the grass. “I’m sorry.” she murmured. “I just don’t know a lot of things.” 

His eyes opened, seeing her frown at the ground. He sighed, leaning up. “We’ve been out here long enough.” He was never sure how to backtrack hurting someone’s feelings. “Let’s get you something to eat.” 

She nodded, and he mechanically asked if he could pick her up again. Though he wasn’t Natsu, she did feel safe in his arms. She knew from the way he took out the guards in the Pits that he was strong, and the way he reassured her that neither he or his team would hurt her made her feel a bit better. After all, if he was a friend of Natsu, he couldn’t be bad, right?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

The moment Laxus walked back into the building, an old woman Marina assumed to be Porlyusica appeared. She stood in the middle of the room, glaring at the two. Marina averted her eyes, uncomfortable by her eerie stare.

“What is this?” Porlyusica asked icily. Marina could feel the woman’s gaze on her, but refused to meet it. Instead she stared at the buttons on Laxus’ shirt. Not that they were very interesting, but she needed something to focus on instead of the angry pink haired woman before them. 

“I’m bringing her back inside,” Laxus said without hesitation. If he was intimidated by this woman, he didn’t show it. He was all confidence, or at least a very good actor. “Do you have any clothes for her?” 

“Put her back in bed, she needs to keep resting until her wounds heal,” Porlyusica ignored Laxus’ question completely. Clearly she was the one in charge here. 

“I agree with you and all, but she needs food too,” Laxus didn’t look down at Marina, but he could feel how stiff she was in his arms. 

“And she’ll get it when she’s back in bed,” Porlyusica pointed to the hallway that led to the room she woke up in. “I have boiled vegetables on the stove.” 

Laxus made a sound of disgust, and was happy that he wasn’t the one who had to eat here. He walked to the hallway he was pointed to, and placed her back in the unmade bed she had awoken from. 

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Marina asked, thinking of Natsu’s response when she asked that before. Because we’re your friends, he had said. Something she still didn’t believe in. Would Laxus have the same response? Or would his be something totally different? 

Laxus barked a laugh that made Marina jump. He saw this, and chuckled lowly to himself. “If you think I’m nice you really were treated badly.” He sighed, sitting on one of the beds that sat a few feet away from hers. “Look, someone out there clearly cares about you to have posted that job. It’s important you stay alive long enough to find them.” 

“So,” she started liking the way the consonant felt as she said it. Not being able to speak for so long made it feel so foreign. “You’re helping me so you can get the reward money?” 

Laxus crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Sure, that’s how it started, two million jewel is no joke, but you need a lot more help beyond just that rescue. What kind of people would just leave you to die after saving you?” Although he didn’t expect to have to be the one to help her. 

Her face contorted into a snarl, something that caught him off guard. “Crawford would.” 

Seeing the mix of pain and rage in her eyes led him to one conclusion. “Is that the guy who trapped you?” 

She nodded, looking downward at clenched fists. She was looking for her mother, her dragon, who had disappeared. She was only a child then, and that man, dressed in a long black coat and a smile that made her believe he would help her took her back to the Pits. He bound her in chains, forced her to use her magic to kill, and did unspeakable things to her. Crawford told her that he would help her, and instead made her wish every day that she were dead. 

“I’ll kill him,” She promised herself. Rage boiled in her heart. She would make him feel the way she did, she wanted him to suffer. 

Laxus scratched the back of his head, “Yeah that’s fair.” 

Marina jumped, unaware that she had spoken out loud. 

“But,” He continued. “You’ll have to get better first. You’re not in the Pits anymore, so you can’t do anything stupid until those stitches heal,” He pointed to where she felt the dull ache in her torso. Looking downward, she began to pull the medical gown upwards so she could see the stitches everyone keeps talking about. “Whoa, wait!” Laxus said, causing her to pause and look up. He was looking in the other direction, a flush across his face. “You can’t just undress in front of people! Especially guys.” 

“Why?” She asked, confused. Crawford undressed her in front of the other male guards daily. Was it because Laxus found her disgusting that he had such a strong reaction to her attempt at undressing?If so, she would understand. Crawford made her very aware he was the only one who would find value in her body. 

“Because, well-” He didn’t have the words. Girls and guys just didn’t undress around each other unless they were in some sort of intimate relationship, right? That’s what he had always been taught, and if someone came in to see him and her together while she was naked that would cause a lot of problems he didn’t want. “Because your body is a temple,” He said finally, knowing how stupid the words sounded when he did. 

“A temple?” She repeated, becoming more confused by the moment. 

“Yeah,” Laxus said, running with the stupidity of his words. He had backed himself into a corner, but hopefully she wouldn’t catch onto that. “You shouldn’t let anyone see it unless you trust them.” 

She stared at him for a few beats, before giving a simple, “Oh.”

Luckily for him, that was when Porlyusica came into the room, holding a dinner tray with the bowl of boiled vegetables. Laxus scrunched his nose at the smell, but Marina stared with wide eyes. 

Porlyusica placed the bowl in front of her, Marina got to see the contents. Broccoli, spinach, beets, those were the ones she recognized. There were more in varying colors and shapes that she didn’t have a name for. 

“What about meat?” Laxus asked, “She can’t build muscle without protein.” 

Porlyusica shot him a glare. “Recovering from starvation will take time. She’ll need to eat foods low in sugar and protein for a while for her stomach to start getting used to eating again.” 

Marina tuned them out, using her hands to grab for a piece of broccoli. She remembered liking that when she was young. It was hot, so instinctively she dropped it. She frowned at the bowl, looking back up at Porlyusica, unsure of what to do until the food cooled. 

“There’s a fork on the tray,” She pointed out. Marina looked at the metal for a few moments, picking it up and staring at the four prongs. Even though she had never used silverware before, she quickly grasped the basics of how it was used. She stabbed the broccoli and bit into it. It was soft, which she was grateful for. She could barely taste it, just happy to have food. When she started to eat too quick Porlyusica would scold her, so she tried to eat slowly. 

“Gramps is going to want to see her,” Laxus said to Porlyusica. 

The old woman looked at him with narrowed eyes. “As much as I would love to have all of you out of my house, she’s not going to be able to make such a walk back to the guild.” 

“That’s fine,” Laxus shrugged. “I can carry her. She’s become a legend around Fairy Tail and everyone wants to meet her.” 

That caught Marina’s attention. People wanted to meet me? She thought to herself. For what? For a fight? 

“What is Fairy Tail?” She asked, having heard the name several times. 

Laxus and Porlyusica looked up at her, where she started with the fork halfway in her mouth. It was Laxus who answered, after all he was the Master’s grandson, he should be the one to explain what it is. 

“Fairy Tail is a guild of wizards, like me, Natsu, Gajeel, and the others you met. We take on jobs to help people, and keep the peace as much as possible.” Although Fairy Tail was known to be the worst in that aspect. “There are also other guilds too, like Blue Pegasus and Sabertooth.”

“So why was it Fairy Tail got the job to rescue me?” She asked, nibbling on a white vegetable that she decided she didn’t like. Still, it would have been rude to spit it out. 

Laxus shrugged. “I asked around, and every guild in the region was given the job. Fairy Tail was just the only one who succeeded. Turns out others had tried and failed.”

Other people had tried to rescue her? She hadn’t met any rescue team before she met Natsu, so what became of the others? She frowned to herself, already knowing the answer. 

“Crawford will come for me,” Marina said suddenly, chewing on some spinach. She liked spinach, she decided. She could feel the eyes of the two before her watching her, but she was too focused on her food. “He won’t be happy I left.” 

“He can try,” Came Natsu’s voice. She looked up to see him suddenly in the doorway. 

“Hey, don’t run from me!” She could hear Gajeel yell from down the hall. 

“If he tries to take you back, he’ll have to deal with us!” Natsu continued with a smile. 

Marina gave a small smile, before setting her fork down. “I want to be able to face him.” She said, looking up with determined eyes. “I need to recover, but I also need to train in order to take him down.” 

“You’ll do no such thing,” Porlyusica said, glaring down at her. “You’ll rest until you’ve recovered, then you can do whatever you want. Until then, you’re under my jurisdiction.” 

Marina and Porlyusica locked gazes for a moment. “I want revenge.” Marina said. “I want to shut down the Pits.”

Porlyusica sighed, unhappy to have to be looking after such a stubborn girl. “I won’t allow it,” She saw Marina’s jaw set. “But if I don’t catch you, as far as I’m concerned, it’s not happening.” She left the room, taking the tray and bowl with her. 

“As great of an idea as that is,” Laxus said, making sure his tone conveyed how not great of an idea he really thought it was. “You should talk to the Geezer before anything. He’s the one whose idea it was to bring you here at all.” 

Marina went to stand, this time not falling as she did. She held onto the metal bar of ber IV, “Take me there.” 

“Not so fast,” Natsu said. “You’ll need some clothes. Lucky for you, Lucy did some shopping!” Natsu ran to the other room, and when he came back he did so holding a few items. The boys cleared out to give her time to change, and when they did she got to look at the garments. 

An upward turned collar with a modest neckline, falling down into a sleeveless top connecting to baggy pants. Completely purple in color, Marina noted. Apparently Lucy liked to dress her in the shade. It came with two brown belts meant to be layered on top of one another around the hips. More for style than for any practical purpose. 

When she undid the ties of the back of the medical gown, she let it fall of her shoulders and hit the floor. She stared at how sharp her hips were, and could count her ribs just by looking down. That’s when she saw the stitches. There were about 5 there, bringing together the skin of where the Lacrima had been placed inside her. It wasn’t very long, hard to believe a rare treasure was now inside of her, and made her a different kind of dragon slayer.

She walked outside the room, seeing all three dragon slayers waiting for her. “I’d like to try and walk on my own.” 

Laxus upturned a brow at her, but said nothing. She was slow, but she managed to walk half way to the guild without problem. It was about the halfway point she tired and began to sweat. She needed rest, especially after not using her legs in the last two weeks. 

“Can’t someone just carry you?” Gajeel asked, looking through the trees to see the guild hall’s roof in the distance. 

Marina shook her head. “No, I don’t want to keep being such a burden. I need to be able to walk on my own.”

“There’s no shame in letting people help you,” Natsu said with a frown. 

“But there is shame in being a champion fighter, yet not being able to stand,” She said, bringing her legs to her chest. “My mother would be ashamed of me if she could see me now.”

“Your mother?” Gajeel asked. “You mean your dragon?”

Marina nodded, thinking of her mother’s beautiful blue scales, the way they changed shades when she moved through the water. “She raised me to be strong, and to always believe the best in people.” She looked down to her feet. “But she was wrong. There are evil people in this world, and you need to be able to stand on your own without relying on others.” 

“Hey hold on,” Said Natsu, who stood up from a nearby stump he’d been sitting on. “That’s exactly the reason guilds exist! Like minded people who want to help make the world a better place.”

Marina shot him a sharp look. “And no one within your guild has used their powers for evil? To hurt others for personal gain?” 

Natsu stayed silent, knowing that both Gajeel and Laxus were guilty of that. How would she feel about them if she knew? It may ruin all the progress she’d had with talking with others, beyond Natsu who was the only one she had semblance of trust for. 

“I believe that people can change,” Laxus said, face serious. “But only if they want to change. I agree that there is evil in the world, and some people can’t be forgiven for what they’ve done, but not everyone you meet wants to hurt you.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve had a shitty life, I get that. You have every right to not trust us, or anyone you meet for that matter. But what kind of life is one that you spend alone?” 

Marina and Laxus locked eyes, and she felt the genuineness of his words. People often sweat when they lie, their pulse quickens, and she could feel the way the water in the body moved quicker when it did. That was a skill she learned to utilize in the Pits, she knew when people were lying to her. He wasn’t lying, he really believed in what he was saying.

From her sitting position, she extended a hand to where he stood with his arms crossed. He stared at her for a moment, understanding what the gesture meant, but not sure if that’s really what she wanted. He walked forward, putting his hand in hers.

Unlike when Lucy held a hand out to her, this time, she let someone help her up.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

She could hear Fairy Tail before she entered through the doors. They were loud, that was for sure. Though, the screaming of the crowds in the Pits prepared her for such a rowdy group of people. Surveying the room, she saw people of all ages, laughing, drinking, and talking together. Natsu had said it before, but this group really was a family. 

“Hey, I’m going to go fill the guys in on what’s going on,” Natsu said, pointing to where the rest of those who had rescued her sat. Lucy waved to Marina, who gave a tentative wave back. 

“Think you can handle this on your own?” Gajeel asked Laxus, who gave nothing more than an annoyed snort. 

Laxus bent down so he could mutter, “We’re going to talk to the girl with white hair behind the bar. Her name is Mira. If anyone knows where Gramps is, it’s her.” 

Marina nodded, glad she had a heads up on what would be happening. It made her just a little less anxious at what may be awaiting her. She walked forward as confidently as possible, trying to remove all thoughts of fear and doubt from her mind. 

She would have succeeded too, if someone didn’t yell, “Is that the Leviathan?” 

All eyes were on her, but she didn’t waver, despite the welling fear growing inside of her. She was used to all eyes being on her, after all. 

“Mind your own business,” She heard Laxus yell from beside her. “She’s not some sideshow attraction for you to gawk at.”

Right, she reminded herself. I wasn’t the Leviathan anymore. I was just Marina, your average everyday dragon slayer. That’s what she tried to tell herself, but her affirmations didn’t work against the knowledge that she was special, just not in a good way. She knew what she really was, and that was a killer. 

“Hello,” The white haired girl known as Mira smiled. “You must be Marina. You have very pretty hair.”

Marina blinked a few times. No one had ever complimented her before. Well, maybe her mom had, but that was a very long time ago. She picked a lock of stray blue hair, twirling it around her finger in embarrassment. 

“Where’s the Old Man?” Laxus asked from beside her. He looked down at Marina, who was still surprised by the compliment. “And can you get her a glass of water?” Staying hydrated was important to a regular human, but Laxus had to imagine it was especially important to a water dragon slayer. 

“He’s in the back,” Mira said, grabbing a clear glass and filling it with a pitcher of what looked to be water. She handed it to Marina, letting her fingers linger for a moment before letting her have it. She was so small and weak looking, she noted to herself. There’s so much pain behind those eyes, Mira could only imagine the things this blue haired girl had seen in the last ten years. 

“Do I still need to sip?” Marina asked, looking up at Laxus who was making sure the gawkers didn’t come up to her. 

He looked down at her with furrowed brows. “Sip what? The water? I don’t know, drink however you want.” 

Marina pursed her lips, before bringing the water to her lips and aggressively gulping it all down within a few seconds. 

“Maybe you do want to drink a little slower,” Mira said with a smile. She felt her big sister instincts kick in, and wanted to help her as best she could. “How are you feeling after everything?” 

How was she feeling? Natsu asked her that before too, and she hadn’t given an answer. It was something she hadn’t really speculated on herself. She didn’t feel much of anything, if she was honest with herself. Nothing good, nor bad was inside her. She knew she was glad to be away from Crawford and his abuse, but other than that, not much emotion filled her. She still ached from not moving for two weeks, in addition to the stitches that were healing on her torso. 

“Good,” Marina said finally, deciding that was the best description of her current mood. After all, saying she felt nothing probably wasn’t the best choice. Though she wasn't used to polite conversation, she still knew the basics of what was rude and what wasn’t. Unless those had changed in the last ten years. 

Mira clapped her hands together, “Happy to hear it! Can I get you anything else?” 

“She can’t have anything else yet,” Laxus cut in. “She’s on a strict diet until she gets her weight up.” 

Mira frowned at the lightning dragon slayer, but persisted anyway. “Okay, what can she eat?” 

Laxus ran a hand through his hair with a frustrated sigh. “I don’t remember the specifics, but she can’t have meat.”

“Porlyusica gave me boiled vegetables,” Marina said, putting her glass back down onto the bar, only for Mira to refill it. 

Mira made a face, clearly just as nauseated by the diet as Laxus was. “I think we have broccoli in the back if you get hungry.” 

Marina nodded, but before she could say anything Laxus gave a stern, “Come on.” She followed behind him, still feeling the stares of the guild members on her. He took her to a room a few feet away, and inside she saw a short old man with a large mustache. 

“Hello there,” The man said, sitting cross legged on a large wooden table she would hazard to say was his desk. “I’m the Master of this guild, you can call me Makarov.” 

Marina bowed at the hip. “Thank you for bringing me to Porlyusica’s home.” 

She heard the old man laugh, and when she looked up she saw he had a huge smile on his face. “Laxus, you could learn from this girl. She has manners.” 

“She’s also had ten years away from social interaction and can’t tell a drunk from a good guy,” Laxus sneered, making Master Makarov turn red in the face.

“Now listen here, boy!” He began to shout, before Erza opened the door they had just come through. 

Erza walked up to Marina, a gentle smile on her face. “I’m glad to see that you’re doing well. When Natsu told us you were here I was compelled to come see you.” Erza extended a hand to Marina. 

Marina stared at the outstretched hand. “But neither of us need help up?” Marina questioned, only to earn a laugh from the others within the room. 

“No, this is a hand shake,” Erza explained. “You do it when meeting people, and saying hello.” 

Marina made a sound of understanding, grabbing at Erza’s hand. What she wasn’t expecting was Erza’s strong grip, and the way she shook their clasped hands up and down. 

“Why does that mean hello?” Marina asked with furrowed brows. 

“I-” Erza hesitated for a moment. “I honestly don’t know.” 

“Marina,” Master Makarov said, getting their attention. “We have a few things to discuss.” He gestured to a couch in front of his desk. She, along with Erza sat down, while Laxus proceeded to brood against the wall. 

The Master became serious, a crease forming on his brow. “If the council gets wind of who you are, they’ll bring you in for questioning. It may be a good way to get the Pits shut down, but they’ll also likely lock you up for the amount of bodies you’ve piled up.” 

Marina set her lips in a line, unhappy with the idea of being held captive again. 

“It wasn’t her choice though,” Erza spoke up. “She would never have done those things if she weren’t forced to, right?” Marina nodded in validation of the statement. 

Master Makarov crossed his arms, he and his grandson resembling each other. “The council sees in black and white. It doesn’t matter what the logistics of the situation are, the point is she’s killed people.” 

Marina flinched at the words. 

“But, I may have a compromise for you.” Master Makarov smiled the way a father may look at a child. “Join Fairy Tail, and we will protect you from the council finding out who you are.” 

“That’s a great idea!” She heard Natsu’s voice say, as well as a loud crash and groans. When she turned to look over the couch, she saw a pile of bodies with Natsu’s at the bottom. Apparently they had been eavesdropping at the door since the moment Erza went inside. 

“Is there no privacy in this guild?” Master Makarov muttered to himself. Natsu, Lucy, Gray, a blue haired girl Marina didn’t know, Evergreen, Bickslow, Freed, Wendy, and some cats all got back up, staring at Marina expectantly. 

“So what do you say?” Natsu asked, extending a hand out. “Want to be a part of Fairy Tail?” 

“What about my sisters? And the reward money?” Marina asked, head spinning with all the excitement and stimuli. 

“Until they show up, we can’t do anything but wait,” Master Makarov said solemnly. “But I assure you, we will reunite you with your family.” 

She still didn't look convinced. “Are you sure you want to have someone like me in your guild?” She asked hesitantly. “Like you said, there are bodies in my wake, and things I can’t atone for. And if this council finds out you’re harboring a criminal…” She trailed off, unable to continue.

“All valid points,” Master Makarov nodded. “But don’t you worry about any of them. From what everyone has told me, I think I have a fairly good grasp of your character. I think you would be a perfect addition to our family.” 

Family? Marina liked the sound of that. After so long, belonging somewhere would feel nice. With a small smile, she nodded, “Okay, then I will be a part of Fairy Tail.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

When the group left the Master’s office, they guided Marina straight to Mira. 

“You said yes?” Mira grinned from ear to ear, apparently already knowing that the Master was going to ask her to join Fairy Tail. Marina nodded, and Mira squealed, jumping up and down for a moment in her excitement. 

“Oh this is going to be great. I can show you around town, take you to some of my favorite restaurants. The parks in Magnolia are beautiful. Oh, I can’t wait for you to see all of it!” Mira was giddier than Marina about her joining, but the excitement made her feel good. It made her feel wanted, which was something she wasn’t used to. 

The knowledge Crawford was looking for her still tinged at the edge of her mind. He’d find her eventually, she knew. He always had before. The thought brought a shiver up her spine, the images of his hands touching her all over causing her to become nauseous. Marina began to sweat, anxiety welling up in her chest. Maybe crowds or fights to the death didn’t scare her, but he did. She hated that he had that power over her. 

Mira suddenly bent downward, and rifling could be heard from beneath the bar. When she came back up, she held a large box. This distracted Marina for a moment from her lingering fears. 

“Okay,” Mira said. “Where do you want your mark?” 

Marina blinked a few times, not comprehending what Mira meant. “Mark?”

Mira’s smile only grew larger. New recruits were always so fun. 

“Each member of Fairy Tail has the emblem mark on their skin,” Erza said, pointing to the dark blue crest she had on her shoulder. Natsu pointed to his red one on his shoulder, and Lucy showed the pink one on her hand. They were all different colors, Marina noted to herself. 

She looked to Laxus, whose mark wasn’t anyplace she could visibly see. “Where’s yours?” 

He pointed with his thumb to a spot just under his chest, where his shirt covered. She pondered for a moment, wondering what color and placement would be best. After a moment, she exposed her upturned wrist to Mira. “Surprise me on the color.” 

“Oh, I see you like to live dangerously,” Mira said mischievously. 

If you only knew, Marina humorlessly thought to herself. The images were back, but this time of blood and gore. She clenched her jaw, trying to focus on the present, not the past. Still, she couldn’t get the memories out of her head. 

Mira closed her eyes, rifling through the box of stamps, and pulled one out. She frowned after uncapping the stamp and looking at the color. “It’s white.” 

“That’s not a problem,” Marina said, pushing her wrist out so Mira had enough room to stamp her. 

“But you’re so pale, it’ll barely show,” Mira objected, throwing the stamp back in the box haphazardly. That was a problem she and her sister, Lisanna also had. Their skin was not nearly as pale as Marina’s though, at the very least you could tell the Strauss sisters had an emblem. Marina’s skin hadn’t seen the sun in years, so it was likely the stamp would be indistinguishable. 

Marina looked to Natsu and his red crest. Red didn’t suit her very well, she decided. Neither did Erza’s navy blue, or Lucy’s pink. She looked down to her clothes, remembering how Lucy liked to dress her in purple. She liked the color well enough, she decided. 

“What about purple?” Marina suggested with a shrug. The runner up would have been a light blue color, like her hair. 

“Yeah, we have that!” Mira searched through the box, pulling out a stamp with a light purple color. She grabbed for Marina’s hand, which luckily Marina saw coming so she didn’t jump. She placed the stamp right on her pulse point and lifted, leaving a purple Fairy Tail crest in its wake. 

“Looks good,” Natsu said, giving a thumbs up. 

Marina gently touched where the mark laid, smiling to herself. She felt like she was a part of something for the first time, and it was a feeling she liked. She looked to Laxus and Natsu, suddenly serious. “I want you to fight me.” 

Everyone went silent for a moment, caught off guard at the sudden challenge. Natsu began cracking his knuckles. “No problem!” 

“Yes, problem!” Lucy yelled, grabbing the pink haired boy by the ear. “She’s still recovering. You can’t train when she’s still so skinny.”

“I killed plenty of people while skinny,” Marina defended, not realizing how that wasn’t something you mentioned in polite company. “I just want to train and start regaining control of my powers. As my body starts to become healthy again, my magic will do the same. I’ll need to be able to control it.” Especially if Crawford showed his face.

“Maybe you can wait a day or two,” Laxus said with a sigh. “You just woke up from a two week long coma, you need to take it easy before you throw yourself into a sparring match.” 

Marina perked up, looking at him with excited eyes. “So tomorrow you’ll spar with me?” 

He scoffed, and gently flicked her forehead. “I said a day or two. Leaning more towards the two now.” 

Marina frowned, causing Laxus to chuckle to himself. He gestured for her to follow him. “Let me show you around. You’ll need to get a good idea of the layout, especially if you start living here.”

She trailed behind him, giving a wave to the other’s before she got too far. “Why would I be living here?” She asked, looking around the massive hall. Did he expect me to sleep on the floor? She thought to herself, mildly perturbed. 

He looked back at her over his shoulder. “You can’t live at Porlyusica’s forever. She’ll feed you nothing but boiled vegetables.” He said, scrunching his face up at the thought. 

“I like boiled vegetables!” Marina said, falling in step beside him, barely tall enough to meet his shoulder. 

Laxus gave her a sidelong glance, amusement clear on his face. “Oh yeah? Well she doesn’t like people, so you may find living with her harder than you think.” 

What the two didn’t notice were the stares of the other guild members all around them, or Master Makarov smiling to himself from the doorway of his office.

-

Marina was shocked at how large the guild really was. They had everything, ranging from training grounds, a communal bath, and even a place for the guild members to live. That’s where Laxus implied she’d be moving to once she left Porlyusica’s. 

“This is insane,” Marina murmured to herself. She only knew of three areas in the Pits. There was her cell, the hallway leading to the arena, and the arena. That was it, how was she going to remember where everything was?

“Yeah,” Laxus agreed, walking with her back to Porlyuscia’s house. “The Geezer definitely went a little crazy with all the money we got from the Grand Magic Games.” 

Marina eyed him expectantly, hoping he would explain what the Grand Magic Games were. After all, the last time she had been outside the Pits was when she was ten years old. He glanced down at her, seeing her stare up at him, fists raised just under her chin. Though she was likely in her mid twenties, she looked like a child right now. 

“Wizard guilds entered into the Grand Magic Games to see which was the strongest build,” Laxus locked his fingers behind his head, walking with his elbows pointed out as he looked into the sky. 

“So Fairy Tail is the strongest guild there is?” Marina smiled at that. It only made sense the guild to rescue her when no one else could was the strongest. 

Laxus shook his head. “At least in Fiore.” 

Marina faltered for a moment, nearly tripping and falling flat on her face. Lucky for her, Laxus had much better reflexes than she did right now. He was able to grab her by her elbow, pulling her back to her feet before she fell to the ground. 

“What’s up with you?” He asked with a quirked eyebrow. 

“It’s nothing,” Marina said, looking to the ground. "Sorry, I just wasn't paying attention." They continued to walk in silence, Marina no longer feeling as talkative. Something about it caught her off guard, but surely this couldn't be anything but coincidence. 

Fiore was the name of the region they stood in, and it was her eldest sister’s name.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

It wasn’t until over a month later Laxus would allow himself and Natsu to train with her. She spent her days mostly resting, eating low protein, low sugar foods, and being bored out of her mind. Laxus had warned her Porlyuscia didn’t like people, and he certainly wasn’t exaggerating. She had once tried to leave bed and seek the older woman for a conversation outside of mealtimes and medical checks, and Porlyuscia was furious. 

“If you’re not getting better, you’re only going to stay here longer!” She had yelled at Marina, who ran off back to her room. If she was a dog her tail would have been tucked between her legs. 

She was so used to captivity that being bored wasn’t something she often had a problem with. Back in the Pits she would enter a near meditative state in staring at the dark ceiling, but this ceiling was white and she couldn’t seem to find that same entranced state. Especially knowing Crawford was out there. She often had nightmares about him, and Poryuscia would have to sedate her when she woke up to her own screaming and attacking nothing. 

It was only now that Porlyuscia would let her eat more. She had begun to put weight on, now that her stomach was used to eating food again. At first she only ate one meal a day, then it gradually increased to the three small meals she was at now. She got to try milk for the first time, along with a beef stew. It was a strange combination, but much more flavorful than the boiled vegetables. 

The people she had met up until this point did visit her. She liked talking to the dragon slayers, who she got to learn more about over the course of the month. She and Wendy had a lot in common, both being deeply naive. Beyond her own kind, she liked Erza and Lucy a lot. Mira also visited when she got a chance, but considering she was essentially what kept the guild running with her waitressing, she couldn’t sneak away too often. 

Marina was learning more about the outside world and the way it worked. She even had more clothes, thanks to Lucy, Erza, and the celestial world. Most of them were still purple, but she discovered that she liked playing dress up. Though, everytime Porlyuscia saw her outside of her hospital gown she began to yell. 

Gray had visited her today, along with Natsu and a girl who didn’t seem to want to come into the room. She had long blue hair, and barely peeked half her face in through the door frame. She glared at Marina, her gaze switching off between her and Gray. 

“Are you okay?” Marina asked, making direct eye contact with the unknown girl’s dark blue eyes. 

The girl clenched onto the doorframe, making it crack. “My darling Gray has never come to pay me a social visit.” She seethed, scowling like somehow it was the bedridden girl’s fault. 

“You’ve also never been in the hospital after being rescued from the fighting Pits,” Gray said with a sigh. He ran a hand through his dark hair. “Sorry about her. She gets a little…” He trailed off, looking back at the girl, who glared daggers at Marina. “Crazy.” 

“Have I done something to upset you?” Marina asked the girl with a frown, completely ignoring Gray’s comment. Did she not trust me because of my past? She wondered with a knot in her stomach. “I promise I’m not going to hurt anyone. I know it’s hard trusting someone like me, but I’m no longer the Leviathan.” How true was that though? She wondered to herself. Marina placed a hand to her chest, as if trying to reaffirm the words to herself as well. “I don’t want to be the killer he made me to be anymore.” 

“I don’t care about that!” The girl shouted, making Marina flinch. “You have long blue hair, pasty white skin,” Marina looked down to her arm, which was, in fact, pasty white. “And cold eyes. You’re just like me, just… boney! I won’t let you take Gray away from me.” 

Marina blinked once, then again, then a third time, before she busted into a fit of laughter. She tried to talk a few different times, but her giggles overruled anything she might have said. 

“You have absolutely nothing to worry about,” Marina said finally, rubbing one of her eyes with the back of her hand. “I have absolutely no interest in dating anybody.” That wasn’t even something she had considered. She knew how vile she looked, after all she was reminded of it every day for over ten years. There was no love or courtship in her future, and that was something that she was content with.

The girl took a few steps into the room, and Marina did note that she and this girl did have a striking resemblance. In fact, it made Marina uncomfortable how much they looked alike. The girl was right, beyond how skinny Marina currently was, and the eyes, they looked like they could be sisters. No, not just that. It went beyond that. 

Marina licked her lips for a moment as a nervous reaction. “What-” She stopped herself for a moment, taking in a deep breath. “What’s your name?” 

When the lookalike said, “Juvia.” Marina’s mind spiraled into chaos. 

How could this be possible? Was this girl lying? Was she a spy? How could any of this actually be happening?

Marina clenched the bed sheets in her fists, looking downward with heavy breaths. 

“Hey, hey!” Natsu said, running to her side. He placed a hand at the small of her back. “What’s going on?” He looked up to Gray. “Get the Old Lady, something’s wrong.” 

Marina looked up with glassy eyes. Tears threatened to spill, but the water dragon slayer forced them back with just a little bit of magic. 

“No it’s-” She shook her head, bringing her knees up and burying her face in them. “I’m sorry, it’s just… Juvia was one of my sister’s names.” 

It wasn’t that they looked like they could be sisters, Juvia looked just like her sister. 

Fiore was the name of her eldest sister, and the name of the region. Juvia was the name of her second youngest sister, and the girl who stood in front of her with the same name was a dead ringer for her. What could any of this mean? Was this one of Crawford’s games? Did she even really escape the Pits, or was all of this just a trick?

“Oh, I see,” Gray said, looking to where Juvia stood uncomfortably. “And it probably doesn’t help that she’s also a water mage.” 

Marina bit out a laugh, but it sounded near hysterical. She couldn’t even recall her sister’s ever using magic, but that was certainly ironic they shared the same elemental type. 

Marina looked up after a while, eyes bloodshot. Juvia lifted a hand to her mouth, unsure of what to do or say. She had upset this girl, just by looking the way she did and having her name. 

“I’m sorry, Juvia,” Marina smiled. It was one anyone looked at and could see was bittersweet. “You look so much like her I-” Marina shook her head again, holding a hand out, like Erza taught her. “It’s really nice to meet you.” 

Juvia stared at Marina’s outstretched hand, looking very similar to how Marina did one month ago. It wasn’t for lack of understanding of what a handshake was though, it was the fear of this girl going into hysterics. She wasn’t worried about her stealing Gray anymore, she was more worried about what would happen if she snapped. What could have caused someone to become so broken like this? Juvia pitied this girl. 

She reached her hand out and clasped Marina’s in hers. “It’s nice to meet you too.” 

-

Natsu and Laxus had brought her to the training grounds of Fairy Tail in the early morning. Early enough so people within the guild wouldn’t walk by and gawk at her. The temperature was comfortable, the morning haze still abundant over Magnolia before it burnt off as the sun rose. 

“This is stupid,” Natsu said with half lidded eyes. Happy trailed behind, eyes fully closed as he moved forward. It was a wonder neither of them ran into a tree or tripped over a rock. “Why couldn’t this wait a few more hours?’ 

Laxus - who was fully awake with the help of several cups of coffee - gave him an unimpressed look. “You didn’t have to come, you know. It’s not like you’re going to be any help anyway.” He wore long baggy black pants with a tight fitting black shirt. He was aware sparring could get messy, and with Marina’s abilities, it was likely he would get wet. 

That perked Natsu up like a cup of coffee, who wore his normal clothes, the idea of them getting ruined not even crossing his mind. “What did you say?” He yelled, pointing a finger at Laxus. “You think I won’t be any help? I’ll be the best gosh darn helper there’s ever been!” 

Marina played with the shorts she wore. She didn’t remember if Erza or Lucy got them for her, but they were shorter than the outfits she had worn recently, and flowy. They were lavender in color, so she had a hunch it was Lucy who supplied them. Her top was a mid sleeve baseball style shirt. Black sleeves with a white base. She wore nice fitting tennis shoes, opting not to wear the oddly abundant amount of boots the girls thought she needed. 

“You ready?” Laxus asked, pushing Natsu one handed out of the field so he fell onto the sidelines. Natsu yelled his grievances, but the only reaction he got was Happy patting him on the back. 

Marina nodded, letting her hands lay at her sides. She had been sleeping well the last few days, likely because of the pills Porlyuscia had been giving her before bed. Because of them she didn’t dream, therefore had no nightmares to wake up from. 

Laxus stared at the girl for a moment, noticing how she didn’t move or even put her hands up to fight. Frowning, he called out, “I’m not going to use any of my magic on you, but you don’t have to worry about using yours on me. So come at me with everything you got.” 

Marina quirked a brow at that. Placing a hand to her hip, looking blatantly unafraid. “Do you think you can take me without the use of your magic?” 

Laxus shook his head. “It’s not about whether I can take you or not, it’s about how our magic types don’t mix well. I’m not about to put you into another coma.” 

Marina had no doubts about her fighting skills. Even starved and deprived of her element she was undefeated in the ring. Something about Laxus holding back rubbed her the wrong way, and not because he may think he was stronger than her.

No one Marina fought ever left the ring alive. So how would he, if he wasn’t fighting seriously? It was something that unnerved her. She only got lucky when Natsu didn’t die from the injury she inflicted on him. She was trained to kill, not to spar. 

After a few moments, Marina nodded, promising herself she would hold back. After all, she was new to this guild, and killing the guild master’s grandson was hardly a way to stay in everyone’s good graces. 

Laxus noticed a few things about the Leviathan in the Pits. She never made the first move. She stood there and waited for her opponent to attack her, and that’s when she fought back. Would she hold the same strategy now, out of the Pits?

“And,” Happy flew just outside the training area, lifting a blue paw up. “Fight!” He cut his paw downward through the air. 

Her eyes changed immediately. It wasn’t Marina that Laxus was looking at anymore. Her eyes didn’t have much of a trace of happiness in them regularly, but now they were like stones. She stared back at him, unmoving. She really was going to take up the same strategy she had in the Pits. 

Laxus swallowed the spit in his mouth, second guessing his choice to not use magic. He ran forward at her, fists up and ready. He wouldn’t actually hit her, he decided, he would punch the air just before making contact. 

Marina lifted a hand, her palm facing him, before sweeping it in the air and collecting the mist from the air around him. 

Just like with the water from the bottle Ever gave her, Laxus noted. She can manipulate the water around her, apparently in both liquid and gaseous forms. He punched forward, and though he was going to stop just before hitting her, his fist felt like it was going through Jell-O. With wide eyes he realized what was happening as it did. Water was between them, eclipsing his fist, protecting her like a shield. 

“What the-” Laxus started, before Marina forced the water to hold onto the rest of him. He quickly lost the ability to breathe. All he could see was the blurry outlines of the training grounds, and her form slowly getting farther away. Was she running away? He thought to himself, trying to escape this bubble he was in. No, that wasn’t it, he realized. Everything around her was getting farther away too. She wasn’t moving, he was. 

Marina released the water bubble, and his feet hit the floor, back where he started when the match began. He was glad he wore throwaway clothes, because like he had assumed, he had gotten soaked. 

“That’s nuts!” Natsu called out from the sidelines. 

“You think you can beat me by just pushing me away?” Laxus called out. Though he didn’t want to admit how terrifying that ability was. He tried to punch his way out of the bubble, and his fists were met with what felt like a solid wall. If she had wanted to, she may have been able to drown him. 

Second thoughts of not using magic turned into third thoughts. 

“It’s not that I think I can beat you like this,” Marina’s voice was monotone. Devoid of all emotion or substance, much like how her eyes looked. “I just know it won’t kill you.” 

Laxus’ set his jaw. That’s what he was afraid of. She didn’t know how to fight and not kill. Incapacitating someone through moderate suffocation, or trapping them in a bubble was certainly one way to fight without killing, but she needed to gain a more diverse arsenal of moves. He had no doubt that if he used his lightning magic he would be able to burst that bubble, so that gave him a place to start.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

The moment Natsu placed his feet in the training field opposite to Marina, people started swarming the grounds to see what the reigning champion of the pits was capable of. By the time Laxus was done, hours had passed and the people of the guild began to filter in. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Laxus said, glaring at their audience who were more curious about Marina than scared of him. 

“What do you mean?” Natsu shouted back. “I only just got in the ring, and you’re kicking me out? Why’d I even get up with you guys if I wasn’t going to fight?” 

Laxus wanted to tell him that no one invited him to come along in the first place, but instead opted to pointing with his chin to where Marina stood, and when Natsu’s eyes met her form, he understood. She was looking downward, blue hair masking her eyes. One hand was clenched to the opposite arm, hard enough the skin was bruising. 

Natsu frowned, looking up toward the crowd, then back to Marina. She was clearly uncomfortable, and even he could admit that training in front of an audience wasn't the best idea in aiding to her recovery.

Marina felt the presence of a human amount of water approaching her, and when she looked up she witnessed Natsu throw an arm around her shoulders. She didn’t jerk away, despite being startled by the sudden contact. She looked up to his face, but he wasn’t looking at her. Instead, his eyes were toward the crowd of people. 

“If you guys want something to stare at,” Natsu shouted to the crowd, making Marina’s ears hurt. Being a dragon slayer allotted you heightened abilities, one of them being hearing. “Go look at yourselves in the mirror, cause from down here you all look like a bunch of clowns.” He gently led her out of the training field, pushing open the gate and throwing gawkers who were standing too close into the shrubbery. 

Laxus lingered behind, hands in his pocket. He watched the dragon slayers walk off, before turning back to the crowd and shouting, “If I catch any of you giving her a hard time, or staring at her like this again, Gramp’s will have to do a lot worse than kick me out of the guild after what I’ll do to you.”

-

Back at the guild, Mira called Marina and Natsu over, three plates of food set out on the bar. Marina wasn’t sure what the food she was looking at was, but it certainly smelled good. 

“Oh yeah,” Natsu said, sitting down in one of the seats and digging in. “Mira makes the best omelettes.” 

Marina took the seat next to Natsu, tilting her head to the side as she stared at the food. Picking up the fork, she cut into it and put a piece in her mouth. Her eyes lit up after a few moments, recognizing the ingredients. The casing was egg, and it was packed full of melted cheese and ham. 

“I think I could eat this every day,” Marina said, smiling at Mira. “Thank you so much.” 

Mira felt a tug at her sisterly heart strings, and said, “I’d be happy to make it for you every day!” 

“Yeah, for us too!” Happy said, jumping up on the bar. 

Mira’s expression changed from one of sisterly adoration, to one of business. “I’d be happy to make you guys omelettes for breakfast every morning, for ten jewel each.”

“That’s not fair!” Happy called out, shaking blue cat paws in the air. 

“Quiet down, tomcat!” The white Exeed known as Charle called out from behind them. “Life is filled with unfairness, and plenty of people have faced far more than you.” Charle glared at Happy, fully understanding why Mira would want to make food free of charge for Marina. After all, most of the foods she had tried in the last few weeks were foods she had never had before. She needed to be integrated into the world with kindness and compassion, not thrown to the wolves when she still didn’t even have a bed outside Porlyuscia’s house. 

Happy frowned, sitting back onto the seat at the bar. 

Wendy, who had come in with Charle, sat next to Marina, who was trying to chew at least twenty times before swallowing - like Porlyusica told her to do so she wouldn’t make herself sick. She smiled at the older girl who seemed more concerned with her rhythmic chewing than anything going on around her. 

“How was training?” Wendy asked when Marina got about halfway through her food. Natsu had long since finished, and was begrudgingly giving Mira ten jewel for another omelette. 

Marina looked at the smaller dragon slayer, who flinched under her gaze. Though it was not one that bore any ill intent, Marina had the war torn look of someone who had been reminded of bad memories. 

The crowds of people staring at her after this last month of reprieve had brought back the cheers from the Pits. The way they cheered when blood was spilled, and only wanted more and more. She could almost smell the blood soaked floors and walls. The worst part was what came after the bloodshed, that’s when her torture would truly begin. When Crawford entered her cell when all was said and done, and she had nothing to do but stare into the darkness until he had gotten his fill of her body - whether that be sexually or from the bloodshed he caused her. 

“You okay?” Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her jerk back, away from his touch. Though consciously she knew it was Natsu, all she could see was Crawford. He threw his hands up in a submissive gesture. “Hey, hey!” He said, jumping from the bar stool. He saw the feral look in her eyes and realized her mind wasn’t in the present with them. “It’s me, it’s Natsu. You’re okay, you’re safe.” He spoke low, trying to help bring her back. “No one is going to hurt you here.” 

Slowly, Marina started to come back to reality, away from her memories. Her heart raced, and her hands shook. She began to remember where she was: at the guild, with Natsu, Wendy, Happy, Charle, and Mira, who all stared at her. She looked downward, flushing at the attention, and the embarrassment of her own actions.

Mira came from behind the bar, stepping in front of Natsu and holding her hand out. “Do you want a second to be alone?” She asked, her voice completely free of judgement or rejection. 

Marina looked up, nodding. She took Mira’s hand, and let her lead her to one of two doors behind the bar. It was dark, and filled with various supplies. 

“No one will come looking for you here,” Mira said, watching as Marina leaned her back against the wall and slowly slid down. The look of hopelessness in the girl's eyes made Mira try to think of anything she could say to try and uplift her spirits, but soon realized this was beyond a pep talk. “And I’ll be just right through this door,” She gestured to the door they came in through. “Just let me know if you need anything at all.” 

Marina brought her knees to her chest, burying her face in them as she held herself. She wanted to say thank you, but she feared if she opened her mouth she would start to cry. She heard Mira close the door behind her as she left, and tried to calm the racing of her heart and mind.

-

Master Makarov's face was grim when Mira told him what happened. As Mira said, it was clear Marina had PTSD, and that was not something that was going to go away anytime soon. He crossed his arms, looking gravely downward in silence. While he had told Marina that she was a welcomed part of Fairy Tail's family, this was something that could not be ignored. What happened if Marina lashed out and hurt someone? That wasn't a chance he could take. 

"I still don't believe that we should report her to the Council," he said aloud, much to Mira's horror. 

"Of course we can't report her to the Council!" she exclaimed. "They'll take her away, and then she won't get the help she needs." 

Master Makarov's frown deepened. He looked at her expectantly, "So, then what do you propose? She will not be able to stay at Porlyuscia's much longer, and she may be one episode away from snapping. I don't want to hand her over, but we need to think of the good of the guild." 

"Or-" Master Makarov and Mira turned, seeing Laxus standing in the doorway. "You can get her some therapy." 

"How long have you been there, Laxus?" The Master demanded. "Close the door, this isn't the business of everyone in the damn guild." 

"Long enough to know that you're thinking of kicking someone out of the guild before they've even done anything," Laxus' voice was icy. Having been kicked out of the guild himself, and traveling the world, he knew that wasn't an option for Marina. She was naive, gullible, and ignorant of the way the world worked. She barely had a concept of the world that had progressed without her for the last ten years. If she was kicked out, it was like giving her a death sentence, doubly if she was turned over to the Council. 

"It's not something I want to do," The Master said, downtrodden. "But we can't risk the safety of everyone else to keep her here." 

Laxus nodded in agreement. "Sure, but the very least you can do before kicking her out is give her the resources to come to terms with all the shit in her head." 

The room was silent for a moment while Master Makarov thought. After a few beats, he opened his mouth, a decision clearly made. 

That was when Mira piped up. "I think you should give it a shot, Master." 

The Master nodded. "Yes, alright. We'll have to find someone discrete and won't leak her secrets to the press or the Council, but fine. The very least I can do is give her a chance to get better."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Marina sat across from an older woman with dark skin, gray hair, and dark eyes. She studied the woman, as the woman stared back with a smile played across her lips. She sat cross legged in a wheeling chair, a notepad in her lap, and a pen tucked behind her ear. 

“This is one of the Master’s friends,” Mira had told her when she had come to get her from Porlyuscia’s house. “She just wants to talk to you about how you’re adjusting in the guild.” 

Marina wished Mira was in here with her, because the idea of talking about anything with this stranger was not anything she wanted to participate in. She sat on a couch directly across from the woman, her hands folded in her lap, body stiff and ready for a fight at a moment's notice.

“I was told,” The woman began. Marina vaguely recalled her name being Yolea. Doctor Yolea, as Mira gently reminded her to address the woman. “That you suffered a panic attack the other day.” Marina said nothing, which prompted Doctor Yolea to continue. “Do you often suffer from anxiety?” 

“I don’t know what that is,” Marina said, causing the Doctor to frown. 

“It’s an intense surge of emotion,” She explained. “It can be sudden, or brought on by something happening. In your case, it sounds like it started with being surrounded by people within your guild watching you train, does that sound right?”

Marina frowned, remembering back to the training grounds. She had been uncomfortable, that was for certain. She didn’t feel like she was in danger when she was with Natsu and Laxus, not even when they were sparring. It wasn’t until people crowded around them, that memories of the Pits were brought back to her. 

After a few moments of intense thought, Marina nodded, affirming what the Doctor already knew. So, she continued, “It can also cause physical symptoms. Headaches, dry mouth, shaking, racing heart, sweating, irritability,” She eyed Marina. “Do any of those sound like what you’ve been experiencing?” 

Marina realized her mouth was dry right then, and nodded again. 

The old woman smiled, leaning back in her chair. “Do you know what my magic is, Marina?”  
Marina shook her head, so Doctor Yolea gestured to a small gong on her desk. “I can bring out emotions, both positive and negative. I can help you draw them out from memories you didn’t even know you had, maybe happiness you had forgotten existed.”

Though unspoken, the other half of her power rang through the Doctor’s mind. She was able to find happiness in memories long gone, and pain from traumatic memories you try to forget. 

“I’d like you to lean back onto the couch,” The Doctor told her, gesturing for Marina to stretch out on the length of the couch. 

Marina obliged, though her movements looked mechanical. When she did finally lay back, she looked stiff and uncomfortable. The Doctor took down a few notes, before pulling the small gong into her lap. 

“I want you to close your eyes, and imagine someone you haven’t seen in a while,” The Doctor said, watching as Marina closed her eyes. “Breathe deeply, in through the nose, and out through the mouth.” When Marina did so, she asked, “Do you have the person in mind?” 

She did. She thought of her mother. She could see her light blue eyes, finned neck, and shimmering scales that seemed to reflect their surroundings. Long talons used for spearing animals much larger than fish for her to consume. 

The Doctor rang the gong. 

And Marina was no longer in the office. She swam beside her mother, using her magic to propel her forward in the waters. With a mischievous grin, she shot out of the water, floating in the air for a moment, before falling back into the water, and onto her mother’s back. She saw her mother’s two white whiskers float elegantly beside her, her scales turning from green, to yellow, to blue as she moved. 

“Marina,” Her mom called to her in a soft voice, “There is a new magic I want to teach you.” 

Marina grinned, hopping off her mother’s back and swimming beside her. Gently, her mother lifted her up on her nose, bringing her above water and into shallower waters so the small girl could stand. 

“What is it?” Marina asked excitedly. She lifted her small fists to her face, trying to cover her grin. “Are you going to teach me how to become a mermaid?” She had always wanted to trade in her legs for a tail that shared her mother’s shimmering scales.

Her mother shook her head. “No, instead, I’m going to teach you something even better.” Marina began to bounce up and down in anticipation. “I’m going to teach you to become one with the water.” 

-

Marina’s eyes shot open, no longer with her mother. That memory was from a time long passed. She was back in the room with Doctor Yolea, feeling her back start to ache from how rigid she held her body. 

“How do you feel?” The Doctor asked, leaning forward to look into Marina’s eyes. 

Marina leaned forward, looking into herself to come up with a name for the emotion she felt. “Content,” Marina decided. She didn’t feel flowers bloom in her chest from happiness or anything, but when she was back with her mother, she felt as if she was home. Knowing it was nothing more than a memory bittered that sweet feeling. 

The Doctor nodded. “Hold onto that feeling.” She hit the gong again, and Marina was overcome with that sense of home once again. Like she was safe, and where she was supposed to be. Her mind struggled with that, because her mother wasn’t here. This office wasn’t home. Home wasn’t a place, it was a dragon that had long since left her. 

The Doctor sorted through the feelings in Marina’s eyes, as her face betrayed nothing. “I think that’s enough for today.” The Doctor stood up and walked to where Marina sat. “Hold out your arm, please. I’m going to give you something that I want you to use when you start to feel anxious again.” 

Marina did so, and the Doctor placed script magic onto her arm. The symbols glowed purple for a moment before fading back into her skin. 

“Press onto that when you feel out of sorts, and it will bring you back to the feeling from earlier.” 

-

Marina sat back at the bar staring down at her arm. Mira had made sure she was fed and hydrated the moment she walked in, another omelette sitting in front of her. This time it had cheese, bacon, and bell peppers. 

Marina wasn’t keen on script magic, so the idea of relying on it now unnerved her. After all, script magic had been used to silence her for the last ten years, and now it was going to somehow make her feel better when memories of that time came back to her? It was an ironic twist, one Marina didn’t like at all. 

She felt a human sized water mass come close behind her. She turned in her seat, looking straight at Erza. The red haired woman smiled, though the look in her eyes seemed to indicate she wasn’t feeling too smiley. 

“I’d like to take you onto a job with us,” Erza said. Marina quirked an eyebrow, the hesitation in Erza’s eyes was clear. She wasn’t a good liar, Marina concluded. 

“Why are you lying to me?” Marina countered, a feeling of discomfort filling the pit of her stomach. She and Erza have never had issues in the past, so why was she lying to her face about wanting to take her out on a job? The discomfort grew, so Marina asked, “Is this really going to be a job, or are you just going to take me to the Council, now that you’ve deemed I’m a threat.”

Maybe she didn’t know about the conversation Master Makarov and Mira had about her being a possible danger to the guild, but she knew there would be repercussions for her fear. She was well aware that she wasn’t like the others in the guild, she was much more jumpy, and likely based on reputation alone, people were scared of her. She saw the stares, even now she could feel eyes on her from those sitting around the room pretending to be occupied with other things. Some were curious, and some were terrified of her presence. She wasn’t blind to the fact that less people were showing up to the guild now than when she first arrived. 

Erza was taken aback. She, along with Laxus and Mira knew of the conversation about Marina’s staying at the guild. They were the Master’s confidants, and the ones he ran plans for the guild by when he needed help. Gildarts was the only other S class member of Fairy Tail, but he wasn’t unaware of the situation due to his absence. 

Erza had long since decided that she would have no part in bringing Marina to the Council. If she believed her childhood friends from the Tower of Heaven deserved redemption for what they did while they still believed the possessed Jellal’s lies, certainly Marina deserved it as well. 

“It’s not that,” Erza said with a frown. She had thought her acting skills would have worked on Marina, but instead the redhead believed that Marina was too good at reading people to be lied to. The truth of the matter would have broken her heart if she knew: she was actually just a bad actress. “I’m just worried that you’re not ready.” 

That was something Marina agreed with. She had gone to one training session, and suddenly she was considered acceptable for a mission? That seemed to be a leap in logic that she couldn’t find a way to justify, hence thinking it was a trick made more sense. 

“What is the job?” Marina asked, pressing down on the arm imbued with script magic. The feeling of nervousness began to fade, and instead the feeling of contentment came back to her. She breathed deep, trying to embrace the feeling. 

“It’s to retrieve an object,” Erza paused for a moment, letting the mission objective settle in Marina’s mind before continuing. “It’ll be you, me, Natsu-” Marina almost sighed in relief. Though she liked the others fine, it was Natsu she was most attached to. “-and Juvia.” 

“Not Gray?” Marina questioned, fully aware of the romantic feelings Juvia held to Gray. She didn’t want to say it, but part of her had been longing to spend more time with Juvia. She wanted to know if there were more similarities between her and her sister. Still, the other part of her was terrified by the girl. There were too many questions that popped up in Marina’s mind about what their similarities meant, and if her freedom from the Pits was really all just a fabrication. 

Erza shook her head. “No, you and Juvia are the only water users, so it seemed to be the best option to bring you both. Natsu and I are tagging along just to make sure your first mission goes off without a hitch.” She didn’t want to mention that the reason she was going was actually to watch Marina to help ease the Master’s fears. Natsu heard about the mission and decided he was coming to protect Marina, which Erza was thankful for. 

Marina nodded, pressing onto the script magic once again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Marina left the Fairy Tail guild with her arms crossed and jaw set. No one approached her on her walk back to Porlyuscia’s house. Whether that be from intimidation by her reputation or because of the intense look on her face, she didn’t know or care. 

The idea of going on a mission right now seemed ridiculous, especially when she was so frazzled. She was aware that she wasn’t in the best mental state, but that was to be completely expected given everything that had happened. Still, she knew she still had to prove herself to the Master in order to earn her keep. After all, the alternative was prison, or going back to the Pits. Either way, she would be confined in a cell. 

After a few moments of discomfort, she pressed onto the script magic on her arm. Contentment surged through her, overrunning the oncoming anxiety. It wasn’t for fear she couldn’t complete the assignment that worried her, instead it was the idea that Erza wouldn’t like what she saw of her. From what little she had learned about the way people behave socially, she knew she stood out. She missed social cues, she didn’t understand the humor, nor most things people referenced. If she was going to fit in and stay in Fairy Tail, she had to better grasp language and the way people used it and behaved in day to day life. 

She looked to the sky, noticing the sun had not yet set. With a newfound sense of enthusiasm, she turned around and headed towards the city. 

-

Even with the weather cooling as day turned to dusk, the heat and humidity still clung to the air. Marina was glad she opted to wear a light summer dress. It wasn’t purple like she so often was dressed, but a soft green base with white polka-dots and a purple belt on her waist to cinch the material to form. As a strong gust of wind blew through, the skirt of her dress danced, as did her hair that suddenly blinded her with tendrils of blue. She gathered up her locks, putting it into a high bun that she was able to wrap into itself to stay put. It wasn’t a permanent fix, but it would work for now. 

There were a great many people who lived here, Marina very quickly realized. She passed homes that stood side by side, open air markets to buy meat, fruits, and vegetables, as well as performers who used both magic and skill to entertain the masses for money. She was intrigued, especially by the families and couples that walked by. People held the hands of their lovers and children as they walked through the streets. This was normal for them, she knew, but it was strange for her. 

She wondered if the contentment she felt when she pressed onto the script magic on her arm was what they naturally felt right now. 

She pressed onto the script magic, letting the feeling flood her once again. Was this how she should be feeling all the time? Was this what it meant to be normal? She didn’t know, but it made her sad to think about. The foreign feeling of contentment was a feeling forced on her with magic, not an organic feeling like these people seemed to possess. 

“Excuse me,” Someone said, tugging onto the skirt of her dress, and breaking her from her thoughts. She turned, seeing no one. “Down here,” The voice said. 

She looked down, and there stood what she first thought was a pink frog. On second glance, she realized it wasn’t a frog, but a green cat in a frog costume. He reminded her of Happy with his large dark eyes. 

She knelt down so she could better be on the cat’s level. “Is everything okay?” She asked, unsure of why anyone would stop her for any reason. She was no one here, so why would a stranger - much less a cat - want anything to do with her?

“I’m looking for someone,” The cat said with a frown and teary eyes. “He’s taller than you, with black hair, and a scar on his nose. Have you seen him?” 

Marina shook her head, reaching out to pet the cat on the head like she’d seen Natsu sometimes do to Happy. The cat leaned into her hand, putting both paws around it and giving it a hug. Marina felt something in her heart tug, but she didn't understand the feeling in order to give it a name. 

When the cat sniffed, clearly trying to not cry, she made her decision. “I can help you find him,” She said, standing back up. “You can ride on my shoulder too, maybe it’ll help us find him faster.” 

The cat perked up, holding out his arms so Marina could pick him up easier. He settled on her shoulder legs falling onto her collar bone. 

“What’s your name, little one?” Marina asked with a light smile on her face. She was completely taken with the little green cat. 

“I’m Frosch,” The cat said with a smile, though his eyes were still teary. “And my partner’s named Rogue. What’s your name?” 

“I’m Marina.” She thought for a few moments, wondering how many people in this city also had cat partners. Including Frosch and Rogue, there was Happy and Natsu, Charle and Wendy, and Pantherlily and Gajeel. 

“Frosch!” Someone called out from behind them. 

When she turned, she heard Frosch cry out, “Rogue!” He jumped from her shoulder and ran to the black haired man. 

Another man with blond hair with his hands in his pockets followed behind, along with a red cat by his side. She mentally added the pair onto the list of cat and human partners. 

Frosch and Rogue hugged, making Marina wonder how long they’d been separated for. 

“Why did you run off?” Rogue asked, looking into Frosch’s eyes. 

Frosch, who was crying, said, “I saw a butterfly and wanted it to be my friend.” Marina nodded from behind, completely understanding the sentiment. 

“Were you helping him look for us?” The blond haired man asked, causing Rogue and Frosch to look up at her. 

“Yeah!” Frosch grinned. “That’s Marina, and she was real nice to me and tried to help me find you!”

“Thank you for helping him,” Rogue said, standing back to his full height. “He tends to wander sometimes, and it can take hours to find him again.” 

Hours, Marina thought to herself. They acted like it had been days or weeks since they'd seen each other. 

“No problem,” Marina said. “I was happy to help.” She gave a small smile to Frosch, who stood no taller than half of Rogue’s shin. “It was nice to meet you, Frosch.” 

She felt the water within him move before he was able to grab her. The blond boy reached for her wrist, but she jerked back a few steps so they stood several feet apart. Blue eyes met green, then the blond gestured to his own wrist, keeping a placid look on his face. 

“Sorry,” He said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. “I saw your mark. Are you from Fairy Tail?” 

She nodded, though still wary, showed off the underside of her wrist where the purple mark rested. There was something she sensed in his body that was not natural. Something foreign that messed with the natural movement of the water in his body. 

“When did you join?” he asked, trying to double back to before he tried to touch her. He could see she was clearly uncomfortable now, and the last thing he wanted was for her to go back to her guild and tell them he tried to assault her. 

“Just a month ago,” She answered plainly. 

“I’m Sting,” the blond said, “And this is Lector.” He pointed to the red cat who stood beside him, glancing back and forth between her and Sting. He clearly noticed Marina was on edge, and worried how far Sting was willing to push this before he walked away. 

“We’re from Sabertooth.” Sting flashed the white guild logo on his shoulder, frowning when he saw Marina gave no reaction. “We were the number one guild for years, before the last Grand Magic Games when Fairy Tail won. But that’s probably why you joined them.” 

Marina stayed silent. She vaguely knew of the Grand Magic Games, but only from passing mentions of it from the other’s in Fairy Tail. 

“I joined because of Natsu,” She said finally, oblivious to the awkward silence she had created by not answering for several seconds. 

Sting scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. “Yeah, yeah. Another Natsu fangirl, huh? I bet a lot of chicks entered Fairy Tail after seeing him in action.” 

Marina blinked a few times. “Why would chickens enter a wizard guild?” The imagery of baby chicks walking into the guild danced in her mind. 

“No, like-” Sting made a face. “Girls.” 

“Girls are baby chickens?” Marina’s mind wandered to what Lucy and Erza would look like with yellow wings and a beak. 

“You’re not from around here, are you?” Rogue asked, breaking the confused ramblings of Sting who didn’t know how to explain slang to this girl. 

Marina shook her head, causing the loose bun on her head to come undone, blue hair falling down her back and shoulders in waves. 

“So then, why did you join because of Natsu?” Rogue nodded, unaware of the way Sting’s eyebrows raised when he saw how beautiful her hair looked, and how it perfectly framed her face. 

“Because he was kind to me,” She said simply, causing both boys to blink. This is when she used her magic to feel both boy’s bodies. She felt the normal things, water, organs, bones, but there was something small and unnatural inside them as well. 

Lacrima, she realized. It was the very same foreign feeling the one in her stomach gave off. 

“Are you dragon slayers?” She asked, causing both the boys to blink again. She really wasn’t from around here. The last time someone didn’t know who they were, it was because they had been trapped by magic for seven years. 

“Yeah,” It was Sting who answered. “I’m a white dragon slayer.” He pointed to Rogue. “And he’s a shadow dragon slayer.” 

“I’m a water dragon slayer,” She said, placing her hands over her heart. Then she realized, every first and third generation dragon slayer had a cat, except for her. She counted Laxus out because he was a second generation dragon slayer who didn't have a dragon parent, and had the Thunder Tribe as sidekicks anyway. 

“Prove it,” Sting said with a grin, excited at the prospect of fighting another dragon slayer. Maybe the fight with Natsu didn't end in his favor, but he wanted to find out his strength in comparison to another Fairy Tail dragon slayer. “Fight me and show off your magic.” 

She paused for a second. Would he survive a match with me? She wondered to herself. At the very least she could imprison him in the water bubble she had with Laxus if worse came to worst. 

“Alright,” She agreed. “Let’s do it.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

The three dragon slayers and two cats made their way into the forest, ironically not too far out from Porlyuscia’s home. There was a fairly open field within where they could do their battle. 

By this point the sun had set, and Marina was well aware that she would need to get back soon. She didn’t want to think about what Porlyuscia would do if she was upset with her. 

Sting and Marina squared off, over twenty feet separating them as they stared each other down. Rogue, along with Frosch and Lector stood on the sidelines to try and keep out of the inevitable crossfire between the two. 

“You know,” Sting said with a cocky smile. “I’m not going to go easy on you, just because you’re a girl.” He meant it as trash talk, but all it did was confuse Marina. 

“That would be a foolish thing for you to do in a fight,” She answered, causing Sting to frown. 

“Are you two ready?” Rogue called out, earning a nod from the water and white dragon slayers. “Begin!” 

Marina made no moves, instead her eyes darkened. Sting didn’t question it as he breathed in and released a White Dragon Slayer Roar. He watched it plow through Marina, as well as the trees behind her. 

He laughed, “Over already?” But once the smoke cleared, she was still standing there, completely untouched. 

“Is that all you can do?” Marina asked, crossing her arms. Though it wasn’t meant as trash talk, Sting took it just the same. She normally didn’t talk in a fight, but she was genuinely curious about the other dragon slayer’s strength. She knew Natsu was strong, but nowhere near Laxus’ level. So it begged the question, if a second generation dragon slayer was - currently - stronger than a first generation, how would this third generation stack up?

“Hardly!” Sting charged forward. “White Dragon’s,” he growled out, his fist glowed with a white aura. “Iron Fist!” 

Marina didn’t move from where she stood, taking the attack head on. His fist made contact with her face, but instead of pushing her back, it phased through her. 

Starting from where his fist met her face, Marina’s body turned translucent, his hand lighting up from inside her in shimmering waves. He tried to pull back, but the see through version of Marina didn’t budge. He tried to use his other hand as leverage, pushing it against her shoulder, surprised when it became wet. 

She wasn’t just see through, she had completely turned into water. She lunged forward, tackling him onto the ground, pinning both his hands with the liquid tendrils that had replaced her arms. 

All but her arms turned back to skin, still holding him down, completely expressionless. “Do you give up?” She asked. It frustrated him, she didn’t even look like she was interested in this fight. 

He would show her not to underestimate him. Little did he know, unreadable was just her natural state of being.

“White Dragon’s Roar!” White light once again shot from his mouth, hitting her square in the face. He usually wouldn’t use that move at such a close range in a sparring match, but he realized very quickly that she was capable of taking hits. He would have to push harder to ensure he won. 

Just like last time, she didn’t even try to block it. Her body turned back into water, but it did succeed in pushing her off of him. She gathered herself quickly, becoming solid once more. 

Lucky for her, this was a humid night. She pulled the moisture from the air, with a sharp wave of her hand, turning the gaseous form into a liquid that danced around her fingers. The liquid’s form changed into the shape of arrow heads, and with another wave of her arm, they shot forward at Sting. 

Sting didn’t take the attack seriously, thinking they would just turn back into liquid once they hit him. After all, they weren’t connected to her body like when she became liquid. They whizzed by him, and was surprised to see them tear at his clothes, one even grazing his arm. Blood trailed down his bicep, causing his eyes to go wide. 

She quickly realized that she didn’t need to kill anymore, but that didn’t make the muscle memory easy to unlearn. Still, he was lucky she remembered that she wasn’t in a fight to the death. Otherwise the Water Daggers wouldn’t have missed. 

Her arms turned into water once more, reminding Sting of an octopus’ tentacles. They reached forward, becoming longer as they did. He jerked back, trying to stay out of her reach, but this only caused her to run forward as he was off guard. She reached him in a matter of moments, her hand turning back into a solid and punching him in the stomach. He shot back, his back slamming against a tree, knocking all the wind out of him. 

He wheezed for a few moments, before regaining himself. He stood, flinching as a sharp pain shot through his side. He likely broke a rib or two because of that punch. 

“That’s enough,” Came a female voice. Five sets of eyes turned to where it came from, and saw Porlyuscia’s silhouette come out of the shadows. Her eyes didn’t leave Marina’s, who had already realized she was in trouble. “What do you think it is you’re doing?” 

Marina knew the question was directed at her. “Sparring,” She said with an exaggerated shrug. She had picked that up from Natsu. 

“You’re in no condition to be sparring,” She bit out. “I told you there would be consequences if I caught you training, and you did it right out front of my house.” 

A pit formed in Marina’s stomach, already knowing what was coming. 

“Pack your things, I want you out of my home in an hour.” Porlyuscia’s turned, about to retreat back in the woods. 

“Wait a minute!” Sting called out to the pink haired woman without thinking. “I was the one who challenged her, don’t punish her for what I instigated.” He hadn’t realized a fight was what kept Marina from being homeless. Had he known, he would have never challenged her in the first place. 

Porlyuscia stopped for a moment, back still turned. “Then you can help her find a new place to live.”

The five stood in silence for a moment, until her figure completely faded into the forest, before Sting broke it by saying, “Holy shit, I didn’t know you were rooming with someone who would kick you out for nothing.”

Marina sighed heavily. “I shouldn’t have agreed to the fight. This was bound to happen eventually, if anything it just sped it up.” She would have to go back to the guild. It was dark, but surely people would still be there. Maybe she could find Wendy and room with her for the night. 

Sting walked a few steps, before wincing and touching at his side. His half shirt made the flowering bruises of the punch he took visible. Marina stared at them, mesmerized for a few moments, much like she had with Natsu’s scar. It was strange seeing her attacks on a living person. 

She hated it.

Without thinking, she reached out, touching the skin with the pads of her fingers so lightly they felt like a breeze against his skin. Her fingers glowed, and slowly the pain and discolored skin receded. 

“Did you just-” Sting started to say, watching as Marina took a few steps back. She brought her hand to her chest, looking at it oddly. Sting poked at his side and stomach, the pain, while not totally gone, had dulled dramatically. It felt more like a bruise than a break now. “Did you not know you could heal?” 

Marina’s brow furrowed, clearly unsure. “I had wondered,” she muttered. Her mother had the ability to heal, but she had never tried to do it herself. She had seen her do it so many times, especially since she was a wild child that got hurt often. All her mother had to do was touch her, and the pain, as well as the cuts would heal. 

“Well,” Sting was at a loss for words. “Can we walk you back to Fairy Tail?”

-

The dragon slayer boys left her at the guild’s doors with duffel bags of clothes that had been bought for her. Porlyusica didn't bother to watch Marina pack her things, nor did she leave her study when she left with the two boys. Something about that made Marina feel guilty, like she was being shunned. While she didn't interact with the woman much beyond meals and the checking of wounds, she had grown fond of her. Losing that bond was a blow she wasn't expecting to feel in her heart, but there it was.

“You can always stay with me,” Sting said flirtatiously. He had been impressed by her fighting ability, and though he hadn’t admitted it, he loved her hair. 

She had refused, of course. She didn’t trust people enough, even less men, because of Crawford. The last thing she was going to do was let herself be vulnerable like that again. If she was going to room with anyone, it was going to be a girl. Or Natsu, she supposed. 

Marina frowned, staring up at the logo that sat over the large doors. She didn’t want to put anybody out for having to help her. Maybe it would be better if she just slept outside tonight and talked to Mira about the situation tomorrow. After all, it was night now. Everyone probably was either already at home, or wanted to be. 

Discouraged, she turned around. It wasn’t like she had the money for Fairy Hills. She had nothing to her name but the clothes in the bags slung over her shoulders. She started to walk away from the guild, hoping she could find a park bench to sleep on, or even a tree if worse came to worst. 

Though lost in her own dark thoughts, she felt the presence of a human sized body of water coming toward the guild. She didn’t pay them any mind, at least, until they got closer.

She saw Juvia before she spoke. “Is everything alright?” She was wearing simple clothes, shorts and a pink and blue T-shirt. She looked like she was just getting back from a walk. Her hair fell long down her back, much like her own hair did. Her discomfort grew, seeing her own sister’s eyes in this girl’s. 

“Yeah,” Marina lied, but the duffle bags on her shoulders made it clear that wasn’t true. Juvia’s brows raised at her, and placed a hand on her hip. She stared expectantly, waiting to see if she would keep on with her blatantly obvious lie. 

Marina looked and felt exhausted. She hadn’t used up that much magic in a while, especially while recovering from starvation, and her body was ready to recuperate. She relented, “Porlyusica kicked me out for fighting.” 

“Fighting?” Juvia was surprised. The last thing she expected from this mostly mild mannered girl was for her to take part in a fight. “With who?” 

“A dragon slayer named Sting,” Marina said, trying to remember the name of the guild he was in. She recalled the white logo on his arm. “From Sabertooth, I think.”

“You fought-” Juvia stopped herself, realizing Marina wasn’t paying much attention to what she was saying. Her eyes slowly began to close, but she fought to keep them open. Her body began to sag downward, and Juvia picked up one of the bags on her shoulder, throwing it over her own. “Come on.” She instructed. 

“Where?” Marina dropped onto her knees, looking up with half lidded eyes. 

“Fairy Hills. You can spend the night with me.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

A few people walked the halls of Fairy Hills, giving the blue haired girls odd looks. Marina barely noticed, slowly starting to fall asleep while walking. By this point the duffle bag she carried drug behind her as she lazily held the strap. 

Juvia’s room was on the third floor, gesturing to the couch for Marina to sleep on. 

“Are you sure?” Marina asked with closed eyes. She was dead on her feet but still worried about inconveniencing people. “I don’t want to impose.” 

“I’m sure,” Juvia said, watching as Marina fell face first onto her purple couch, willing to bet that she was asleep before even hitting the cushions. 

While Juvia didn’t entirely know what to make of the water dragon slayer, but she could not, in good conscious, let her sleep on the street. Especially if Gray found out. Surely he would think her heartless if she let the girl go on her own. 

With a shrug, Juvia went to her own bed.

-

Marina was stuck in darkness. She felt walls on all sides of her, in what felt like a 4x4 cell. She was cramped into herself, her neck and back aching front the odd angle she had to position them in. 

The room lit up outside her cell, and before her stood an anthropomorphic frog like creature. It stood at the height of a grown human adult, but its skin was completely blue in color, complete with bulging black eyes. 

“Do you understand why you’re here?” The creature asked in a voice that sounded both male and female. “Do you know what you did?” 

Marina couldn’t speak. She opened her mouth, but only air escaped. She touched at her throat, only to feel bandages. She looked up to the frog creature, who smiled with human teeth, wider than any human would be able to smile. 

She ripped at the bandages, and found stitches. Blood fell downwards from the closed wound, coating her chest. 

What did you do to me? She tried to scream. 

“It’s what you deserve,” The frog cooed. 

-

She woke up with a gasp, clutching at her throat. No bandages, no stitches, and no blood. It was just a dream. She laid back down on the couch, throwing her arm over her eyes. She missed the sleeping pills Porlyuscia would give her, but that was likely something she’d never get to utilize again. 

Uncovering her eyes, she scanned the room. It was dark, but a small night light lacrima Juvia had in the corner gave her a dim view of the room. Though she had all but passed out, she remembered most of the events leading up to where she was now. Juvia was still asleep in her king sized bed, a plush that looked… suspiciously like Gray in her arms. 

The room was clean, everything tucked away in drawers. Decorations were sparse, just a few knick knacks on top of dressers. Fairy Hills always looked fancy from the outside, and inside was just the same, it would seem. 

She rested there for a while, feeling the ache in her bones. Though logically she understood the sudden exhaustion came on from recovery as well as magic use, it made her uneasy. How long would she be in recovery? Better question, when would she be well again? 

An idea popped into her mind. Could she heal herself, like she had with Sting? 

She quickly went to Juvia’s bathroom, taking off the sundress she had slept in. She placed her hands on the sink, leaning into the mirror to get a look at herself. It was a far cry from one month ago, but still it wasn’t a sight she welcomed. Her ribs and hip bones could still be seen, but not as badly as before. The calories from Mira’s omelettes were welcomed inside her body as she was able to start storing fat in her body. 

Her stitches from where the Lacrima was placed in her body had been taken out, but the scar still looked angry. Just slightly above her belly button, a few inches in length. She ran a finger down the length of it, feeling the bumps from where the stitches had been. 

She touched at her legs, her stomach, shoulders, neck, arms, and stomach, using her magic to try and heal the inflamed and bruised issues underneath. She couldn’t risk another depletion of energy, so she just made it so the ache was bearable. With a sigh, no longer wanting to look at her body, she washed her face and dressed in something random she pulled from a duffel bag. Today it was a long light purple trench coat dress, with three sets of large double row buttons. She matched it with a pair of black ankle boots, and a dainty silver star necklace. 

She gathered her things as quietly as possible to not wake Juvia, and slipped from the room into the hallway. She had inconvenienced her enough by spending the night, she didn’t want to be more of an imposition by being there when she woke up. 

The hallway was dimly lit, but there were small Lacrima placed in the walls to light the corridor to find the way out. She looked downward from the ledge onto the lower floor, and saw there was a library just below Juvia’s room. Frowning, she continued down the hall. That is, until she saw someone. They were hidden behind a shelf of books, but the bright light from the Lacrima they used gave them away. 

Another blue haired girl, she noted with raised brows. Apparently they were a dime a dozen in Fairy Tail. The girl looked up from the noise of the door closing, and with a sinking realization, Marina saw the face of her youngest sister. 

Putting a hand on the railing, she jumped from the floor she stood on, down into the Library. The blue haired girl jerked back, before running toward Marina who was on one knee, a hand bracing herself when she landed. 

“Holy crap!” The girl said. Her eyes were dark, her hair longer in the front than the back. That was something that differed between her sister and this girl. “Are you okay?” 

“By any chance,” the girl went to help Marina up, but Marina stood as she spoke. “Is your name Levy?” 

The girl paused, dumbfounded. She knew who Marina was, and had seen her in the guild a few different times, but they’d never spoken. Had Gajeel or Lucy told her who she was?

“Yes,” Levy said in a low voice, wondering what Marina could want with her. It was three in the morning, and she really should have been asleep hours ago, but she had gotten so caught up in reading that she lost track of time. 

Marina scanned the girl who resembled her youngest sister. Levy, Juvia, and Fiore. All her sisters were here, but what did any of that mean? This Levy looked both confused and afraid, and Marina realized that once again her lack of social understanding made someone uncomfortable. So, to try and make the situation less awkward, she tried to make something from it. 

“Can you tell me about the history of Fiore?” She asked. Levy blinked at her a few times, before nodding. She turned and walked to a nearby wall, scanning the books for a few beats before grabbing one and handing it to Marina. 

“This should tell you everything you need to know,” Levy said, but Marina just looked at the book in her hands. She made no moves to grab it, just eyed it with no expression. Though she didn’t want to ask, she asked anyway, “Do you want me to read it to you?” 

Marina frowned, finally taking the book and opening past the cover. The writing looked like nothing but scribble to her. So, she relented the truth, “I can’t read.” 

Levy gave a forced smile. “I can see how that would make it difficult.” She took the book back, and sat where she had been reading. Marina followed behind, standing behind her as she sat down. Levy turned to look at the girl. “Pull up a chair.” 

Marina nodded, grabbing a nearby chair and placing it next to her. 

Levy checked the table of contents of the book, opening to the information she deemed pertinent to Marina. “The land of Fiore had previously been named Uplia, which had a long and tyrannical history. The Uplian King overthrew several neighboring nations, causing rebellions and uprisings from conquered lands.” 

Marina frowned at this information. More questions rising in her mind. 

Levy continued, finding herself engrossed in the story about this region’s past. “The rebellions were ineffective, as the Upalian King sent his vast armies to destroy all cities and towns with rebels. Bearing a crest of peace, a lone wizard stood up to the soldiers, along with her celestial Nikora spirit. With a scythe in hand, she fought off the armies, slowly moving forward towards the palace.” 

“What’s a celestial Nikora spirit?” Marina asked. She imagined something fierce, with talons and sharp teeth standing by this powerful wizard’s side.

Levy looked back up at her. “Lucy has one,” She said, placing a finger to her chin. “They’re like little snowmen who shake a lot.”

Marina had an image in her mind that was vastly far off from what the celestial spirit looked like, but regardless decided that was enough information for her to understand. 

Levy returned to the book. “This lone wizard was taken down before reaching the King, no match for the hoards of soldiers that swarmed around her. They bound her in chains, beheading her before the people of Upila.” Levy’s voice became more somber as she continued. “That was, until she turned into smoke before the crowd. The one who had taken her place in chains was a celestial spirit that belonged to the wizard, the one known as Gemini.” 

The recognition of the spirit was clear in Levy’s voice, making Marina look at her with an expectant expression. 

“Lucy has Gemini now,” She explained. 

How coincidental. Marina thought to herself with a suspicious note in her mind. She’d run into far too many coincidences for them to actually be just that. 

“With a swing of her scythe, the King was killed. This caused the son of the late King to take control. With a leader of their own, the people rose up to fight alongside her. No longer did one city or town rebel, instead, united by the bravery of the wizard who fought for them all, they attacked as one.” 

Marina held her breath, thinking of the casualties that must have fallen in a battle the common folk didn’t know how to fight. 

“They took down the new King of Uplia, executing all those who supported him. They renamed the land after the lone wizard who gave everyone hope: Fiore, also known as Lady Death. She became their new Queen, ushering in years of peace.” Levy frowned to herself, unseen by Marina. She knew of the princess of Fiore, and her name was Hisui Fiore. So how did the first name of one wizard become the last name of the royal line?

“How long ago did this happen?” Marina asked, a small smile splayed on her lips. Maybe the name of the region was where their birth parents came up with her eldest sister’s name. It fit Fiore perfectly. She had always been the type of person who raised hell when it came to what she believed in. She could definitely believe her sister could take down a King and accidentally become the new ruler. 

“About 400 years ago,” Levy said, face still buried in the book. 

That confirmed to Marina that the name of the region and her sister sharing a name was nothing more than coincidence. After all, Fiore couldn’t have been older than 30, so she certainly couldn’t be the hero of the region so long ago.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Marina sent Levy off to bed after the dramatic retelling of the story of Fiore. Levy had dark circles under her eyes, and a sudden urge to learn everything she could about Lady Death, the Hero of Fiore.

“The books will be here tomorrow,” Marina said adamantly when Levy protested her own bedtime. 

“But Jet and Droy will want to see me tomorrow, and may try and barge into Fairy Hills again!” Levy said, remembering when Erza kicked them out with the meliciousness of a demon.

“I don’t know who those people are,” Marina put her hands on her hips. “but surely they’re going to be more upset if you’re dead on your feet.” This is how her youngest sister acted too. There was never enough time in the day to do everything she wanted to. So oftentimes it would be up to the sisters, Fiore, Marina, and Juvia to put her to bed. 

“Okay,” Levy sulked, starting to walk back to her room. She stopped after a moment, turning back around. “What are you going to do?” 

Marina wasn’t sure herself. All she had planned was to leave Juvia’s room. Everything from there was impromptu. 

“I think I’m going to go on a walk,” Marina said with a far away look. She couldn’t remember the last time she was able to watch the sunrise.

“Okay,” Levy stared at the older blue haired girl with a strange fascination. “Well, if you need anything, my door is just three down from Juvia’s.” 

Juvia and Levy, here in the same place. How long had it been since she’d seen her sisters? How long had it been since they’d had mundane conversations, sometimes about everything and nothing. The girl standing before her wasn’t her little sister Levy, nor was the Juvia just one floor up her sister either. Still, it was nice to pretend, even for just a little while. 

Marina smiled, and Levy realized then how pretty she was when she did. With eyes seemingly bewitched by Marina’s smile, she watched as the girl reached out to place a hand on her head. Marina wasn’t incredibly tall, but she had four inches on Levy easily. 

Levy felt a strange sense of warmth, almost as if the girl with the hand on her head was family, even though they had only just met. Maybe it was her interest in history that endeared Levy to her. Maybe it was the genuine smile on her face that looked almost foreign on her features, or maybe it was the way that smile didn’t reach her eyes. Regardless of the reason, Levy wanted to spend time with Marina again. 

“Good night, little one,” Marina said, visions of her sister pouting at the nickname in her mind. Levy watched in silence as Marina picked up the duffel bags that fell with her onto the Library’s floor, and headed out of Fairy Hills. 

-

The moment Marina walked out the doors, she noted the sky around her starting to turn from night to dawn. Still tinged with gray, the clouds hung heavy over the land in a fog. The moisture danced across her skin as she walked through it, feeling at peace in the dampness in the way only she could. She closed her eyes, feeling the chill of the early morning reminded her that she was no longer held back by the confines of a cell. 

These were the moments she had missed during the last ten years. The simple things all seemed new and strange. She had all but forgotten the morning sky, and the way the sun rose over the land. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps from the door, eyes still closed as she let herself feel the world around her. 

“This world can be beautiful, if you take the time to look.” 

Marina opened her eyes at the voice, surprised she hadn’t been paying attention to the literal bodies of water nearby. She had gotten so lost in the quiet she hadn’t been using her magic. It was Master Makarov who stood before her, hands behind his back. 

“Come,” He walked past her, sitting on a bench outfront Fairy Hills. “Sit with me.” 

Marina did, setting her bags down and sitting next to the old man. She kept her eyes to the sky, watching the sun start to peak over the horizon. The birds chirped from the trees, ruffling the leaves as they searched for food. 

“Porlyusica sent a message this morning,” Makarov said. His voice gave nothing away, whether he was upset with her, or indifferent was indiscernible. “About last night. I hoped I would find you here, and I am glad to see I was right.” 

“Juvia let me stay with her,” Marina said with a low voice. She hadn’t forgotten the events that led her here. She had been kicked out, and with nowhere to go she was lucky Juvia was kind enough to let her stay with her. Still, at the moment, she found herself more enamored with the rising sun then she was anything else. The sky began to become tinged in yellows and reds, colors she hadn’t seen outside the arena in years. 

“What was the fight about?” The Master had years of practice at keeping his voice passive, but couldn’t help the worries of her leaving casualties in her wake. 

“It was a friendly match,” Her answer caught Master Makarov off guard. “No one was hurt, not really.” Sting did end up with a few broken ribs, but her newfound healing abilities made those a fleeting pain. If she didn’t have her form shifting abilities to become water during his attacks, she likely would have been gravely injured. That ability served her well throughout the years. 

He breathed a sigh of relief. She was managing well, from what he could see. There were no more incidents like the other day. He was glad that she had proven his worries wrong. 

“You know,” The Master wasn’t oblivious to Marina’s entranced state. He had told her to find beauty in the world, and that’s exactly what she was doing. “I was worried that you’d leave Fairy Tail.” 

She gave him a sidelong glance for a split second. “Where would I go?” After all, she didn’t even have a place to spend the night. 

“To look for your sisters,” Was what he said, but what he thought was of the leader of the Fighting Pits. He knew of her desire for revenge, and he even understood it. Still, she was in no condition to be up and seeking her sisters or revenge. 

Marina stayed silent for a few moments, thinking over his words. The thought of leaving had crossed her mind several times over the course of the month, but something kept her from doing it. Maybe it was because of Natsu, and the other’s she’d met while at Fairy Tail that kept her here. Or maybe it was seeing her sister’s lookalikes. She wasn’t sure, but she found herself content at Fairy Tail. For now, anyway.

“Not yet,” She murmured, keeping her eyes on the half visible sun. Her eyes were squinted from the light, but even then the Master could see the way the sun lit them up. Almost like the grass surrounding them, or even the moss that grew nearby the river. “I have a lot to learn before then.”

-

“Is this a joke?” Laxus asked, staring down at Erza. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” 

Erza gave him a disbelieving look. “Because I’m accompanying her on this mission, so there wasn’t a need to inform you.” 

Laxus ground his teeth for a moment, a glare on his face. “I’m the one in charge of caring for her during her recovery, remember? If something happens during your mission, it’s my ass on the line.” 

Erza had a list of nasty things she wanted to retort lined up in her mind, but instead she kept her tone cordial. “The Master wanted her to be watched over by the S - class members of Fairy Tail, and in case you’ve forgotten, you’re not the only S - class wizard here.” 

He didn’t suppress the eyeroll. “You’re not a dragon slayer. You have no idea what it’s going to take to help her control her powers.” 

“And that’s why Natsu is coming as well,” Erza let the facade of amiability drop. She was annoyed, and she wanted him to know it. He had underestimated everyone in the guild for as long as she remembered, and the idea that only he could care for Marina in regard to her recovery was something that rubbed her the wrong way.

Though maybe that was what the Laxus of the past believed, before he was kicked out of the guild, she didn’t realize that was not the reason for his frustration now. 

“Natsu doesn’t have a Lacrima inside him!” He threw his hands in the air. Erza had no idea what it was like to have a Lacrima put in her body, nor the lasting effects it would have. Marina had been mostly bedridden since getting it, so naturally the effects were yet to be seen. If she was using her magic on a mission, things could easily become out of hand. A dragon slayer Lacrima had the potential to rip someone’s body from the inside out, taking the surrounding area down with her if it did, depending on the strength of the wielder’s ability. 

Memories started to flood his mind. Flashes of his father towering over him with a sick smile on his face as he watched his own son writhe on the floor in pain at five years old, his mother sobbing from outside the room. The indescribable agony of the Lacrima turning his sick body into one capable of holding lost magic. He pushed the images back, he was angry enough as it was without those clouding his mind further. 

“I’m coming with you,” Laxus snarled. It wasn’t directed at her, instead brought on by the memories of his childhood, but she took it just the same. 

“Do whatever you want,” She bit back, turning her back on him and walking the other direction. She was furious, believing that Laxus didn’t think she was strong enough to care for Marina. 

Laxus didn’t bother caring about Erza’s clear frustration, instead he sat down at the bar.

“I know that look,” Mira said, having heard the entire conflict between the two. “And I’m not serving you alcohol this early in the morning.” 

“Relax,” Laxus leaned back, looking to the ceiling. “I’m not going to drink before a mission.” 

“But you want to,” Mira pointed out, setting out a steak and cheese omelette before him. She held another in her opposite hand, hoping Marina would arrive soon so she could eat it hot. 

Laxus gave her a pointed look, causing Mira to shrug. “I figured you could use a pick me up after that argument.”

He did, but he didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing him well enough for her to be right. Before he could give some nonchalant answer, he heard the animated chatter of the guild turn to a sudden silence. He turned to look, seeing his grandfather walk in with Marina at his side. 

“Marina!” Mira called to her, excited she would get to enjoy the omelette while it was still warm. She was aware of the discomfort of those in the guild who didn't know her, and hoped her excitement to see her would help them realize that she was one of them now, not something to gawk at everytime she showed up. 

Marina looked up, startled that someone would call out her name. When she saw it was Mira, with Laxus sitting at the bar, she felt at ease. Walking to them, she took the seat next to Laxus, setting her bags down beside her. 

“Good morning,” She said, a small smile still on her face from having spent time with Levy and seeing the sunrise. 

“You’re in a good mood,” Mira noted, placing the food in front of her. “Oh, I got you something!” Marina watched Mira retreat into one of the back rooms, coming out with a box about one foot in height. It was wrapped in silver paper, held together with a red ribbon that tied into a bow at the top. 

Marina was enamored by the wrapping job, and how pretty the colors complimented each other. In fact, they reminded her of Mira herself. Her red dress and white hair was a staple color scheme for her. 

She tore away at the paper, and inside the wrapped box was a large water bottle. It had a color gradient, blue at the top fading into purple as it reached the bottom. It even had a strap so it could be carried like a purse. Marina’s eyes shined with excitement, throwing the bottle’s strap over her shoulder. 

“It’s about half a gallon,” Mira smiled, picking up a pitcher of water so she could fill the bottle. “I thought it would be best to have a good bottle so you can carry water around. Since dragon slayers have to eat their element, I figured this would be the easiest way for you.” 

“Thank you!” Marina said with a smile. She unscrewed the lid so Mira could fill the bottle up. This would be especially useful on drier days where she couldn’t take the moisture out of the air. 

“What’s with the bags?” Laxus asked, eyeing the duffel bags Marina had set on the other side of the stool she sat. 

“Porlyusica kicked her out,” Said Master Makarov, hopping onto the bar and sitting cross legged. “She got into it with another wizard.” 

“You got in a fight?” Laxus was alarmed. “What happened? Are you okay?” He reached for her wrists, moving her arms around so he could check for damage, either from the other person or from the Lacrima in her body. 

“Why Laxus,” Mira placed a hand to her mouth, covering the smile on her face. “How forward of you to check her out so blatantly.” 

Laxus’ face became tinged in red. “That’s not it!” He said, releasing his hold on the water dragon slayer. He turned back to Marina, asking, “Did anything strange happen?” 

Marina eyed him with raised eyebrows, unsure as to why Laxus seemed so alert to her physical wellbeing. 

Master Makarov’s eyes, on the other hand, were on Marina. She made no moves when Laxus had grabbed her, not when he moved her arms around like a doll. She didn’t look scared or upset in any way. 

“In order,” Marina said, counting on her fingers. “I met a cat named Frosch in the city who was lost and looking for his partner, and that’s how I met Rouge and Sting of Sabertooth. Sting found out I was a dragon slayer and challenged me to a fight. And yes, I am okay.” She looked thoughtful for a moment, biting into a piece of the omelette Mira made for her. “And as for strange, I found out I can heal.” 

“You-” Laxus said, before being cut off by Mira. 

“What do you mean you found out you could heal?” She asked, placing her hands on the bar counter. All eyes were on Mira, whose bloodlust could be felt all through the guild. If Sting hurt her, she would march over to Sabertooth and kill him right now. 

“I healed him,” Marina clarified. “I broke his ribs, and when I touched him, it just… happened.” 

Mira’s heated look turned mischievous again. “Did anything else just happen when you touched him?”

“No,” Marina gave her a confused look, completely misunderstanding the sexual meaning behind Mira’s words. “I’m not the kind of person to attack further after I’ve already won.” 

“Did you feel like you were out of control?” Laxus asked, directing his full attention onto Marina. “Or any pain when you used your magic?” 

Marina thought for a few moments, using the time to take another bite of food and chew. “No, I was in control the entire time, and I was never in pain, but…” She placed a finger to her chin, looking upwards. “I was exhausted after. When Sting and Rouge walked me back to the guild, I nearly passed out at the door. When Juvia brought me back to her room, I was out before I even hit the couch.” 

“Exhaustion, huh,” Laxus leaned back, arms crossed. Maybe that was the difference between getting a Lacrima when you’re a child, compared to an adult. Marina had yet to show any of the same symptoms he had when he became a dragon slayer, but maybe it was easier for her because she already was one. Still, randomly attaining the ability to heal made it clear the Lacrima was having an effect on her power, and there would only be more proof of that from here. 

“They walked you back to the guild?” Marina still didn’t catch onto Mira’s teasing. “It sounds like they really enjoyed that fight.” 

“I did too,” Marina nodded. “But it would have been better if it didn’t cause me to become homeless.” 

Mira’s first thought was to invite her to live in the Strauss household, but now that Lisanna was back in her own room, they were out of space. “Aren’t you going on a job today? When you get paid, you can move into Fairy Hills.” 

“That’s true,” Marina said softly. She would be able to live in the same place with Juvia and Levy, and not inconvenience anybody by staying on their couch.

From the other side of the room, Natsu walked through the doorway. He had a backpack slung over his shoulders, Happy flying just over him. 

“Hey, Marina!” Natsu said, running over to the bar. “Are you ready for the mission?” 

“Yes,” Marina nodded, looking back up to the doorway. She had been trying to feel for when Juvia showed up to the guild. She hadn’t yet, but it was still the early morning. It was possible she was just not much of a morning person. 

“Speaking of,” Laxus cut in, shooting a look at his grandfather. “Why didn’t I know about this mission?” 

Master Makarov shrugged. “I didn’t know it was the guild Master’s responsibility to tell you about every mission someone takes.” 

“It is when you ask me to look after that someone,” Laxus shot back with an annoyed eye twitch. He could feel his frustration growing again. 

“I figured you’d find out eventually,” Mira handed Master Makarov a coffee. He took a prolonged sip, before looking back up. “And look at that, I was right.” 

Natsu, Marina, and Mira felt the tension between the two. Laxus looked ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, while the Master looked to be uninterested in his grandson’s temper. 

“Who are you looking after?” Marina asked, looking up to Laxus. She understood he was upset, but she couldn’t understand why. 

“You,” Laxus said, placing a hand on the top of her head. 

“Oh,” Marina frowned, sinking feeling in her stomach. “So I don’t cause trouble for the guild?” 

Laxus didn’t miss a beat. “So you don’t hurt yourself because of the power the Lacrima gives you.” 

Marina didn’t look away from him, taking time to process his words. Did he trust her? Was he not worried about her being a threat to the guild? All these thoughts of how others must view her ran through her mind every time she walked through the guild’s doors. A killer, ruthless, evil, untrustworthy. The stares she received from those she hadn’t met assured her that’s what they were thinking. Hearing that Laxus cared more about her wellbeing, rather than her being a threat confused her. 

So, she said, “Thank you for caring about me.”

“Of course he cares about you,” Natsu swung an arm over her shoulder. “You’re a part of Fairy Tail, that means you’re family, remember? We all care about you.” All of Fairy Tail caring about her was something she found to be far fetched, but as long as people like Natsu, Laxus, and Mira did, that was enough.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Juvia ran into the guild looking disheveled. She panted in the doorway, holding onto one side of the large frame. She scanned the room, searching for one of two people. She found one, and ran to his side, clutching both his shoulders in her hands.

“Whoa,” Gray said, eyes wide, seeing how upset Juvia looked. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Gray, my darling,” She leaned her forehead onto his chest, slowly catching her breath. She had barely managed to get dressed before coming here. “Oh, it’s so terrible.” She looked up to him with glassy eyes, and he felt an emotion he couldn’t describe well up in his chest.

“It’s okay,” Gray tried his best to sound soothing. It wasn’t something he was adept at, but he knew that’s what she needed right now. “Whatever it is, we can figure it out. You just have to tell me what’s going on.”

“Last night, I found Marina looking exhausted after a fight,” Though partially true, it was hardly the actual events of the night. “She said that she was homeless, so naturally I took her in. When I woke up this morning, she was gone! I fear she may have run away, or worse.” Thoughts of kidnappings ran in her mind, or even her snapping and going on a rampage through the city.

“She’s at the bar,” Gray said simply.

Juvia’s emotional face broke into one of pure confusion. She cranked her head to the side to look past Gray, and stared to where the other blue haired girl sat, surrounded by the other’s that would be going with them on the mission today. Her face flushed, at first embarrassed over making such a scene in front of Gray, then it turned into one of frustration. She marched over to the bar, hands on hips as she stood behind Marina.

Marina, however, felt her coming. After all, she had been waiting for Juvia to arrive. She turned around, still full of warmth from the conversations she had been having. Normalcy was not something she took for granted, especially since this normal was not something that was normal to her. It was a new normal, one she had yet to fully believe was real. What she didn’t feel coming, was the redness of Juvia’s face and the knitting together of her eyebrows.

Juvia had not brushed her hair this morning in her rush, so the mess of bed head waves and tangles were clear to anyone who looked at her. Buttons on the chest of her thigh slit dress were undone, her hat falling to the side of her head.

“Come with me!” Juvia said, pulling Marina by the fabric she pinched at the girl’s side.

Marina gave Natsu a wide eyed look, clearly confused as to what was happening. Natsu gave a wide eyed look back, mouthing the words _I don’t know_.

Once they had reached a corner of the room where no one could hear, Juvia let loose. “I thought you were dead!” She said, throwing her hands in the air.

Marina stared at her, opening her mouth a few times in several attempts at coming up with a response. When she came up with nothing, she said, “I’m not.”

“I can see that,” Juvia began to smooth down the skirt of her dress, rebuttoning the front as she tried to compose herself. “Why did you leave?”

“I didn’t want to be a bother when you woke up.” Marina loosely crossed her arms, leaning onto one leg. “It was nice enough you let me sleep in your room, I figured I would clear out before I gave you any more trouble.”

“Gave you more-” Juvia repeated, completely taken aback. “Not knowing where you were was more trouble than anything!” Thoughts of a water beast tearing through the city ran through her mind again.

Marina was unaware of Juvia’s thoughts. So she said nothing, staring blankly at the other girl who was running fingers through her hair in an attempt to manage it.

“I’m sorry to have troubled you,” Marina said, looking downward. The fact of the matter was that she didn’t understand. She thought what she was doing was the best thing for them both, but instead it seemed that she made the wrong choice. Just like fighting in the forest, she had inconvenienced and upset someone again.

“It’s fine,” Juvia said, adjusting her hat. “Just tell me before you go somewhere. Or leave a note.”

Marina didn’t know what a note was, but she nodded regardless. She turned around, feeling the presence of three people and a cat coming towards them. Laxus, Natsu, Happy, and Erza.  
Erza stood the farthest away she could from Laxus, though looking passive, she felt nothing of the sort. She was still frustrated by the words of the S class dragon slayer, and felt the need to prove that he was unneeded on this mission.

-

“So what exactly is this mission?” Natsu asked, arms behind his head. He leaned back, looking past Marina, who walked at his side, and to Erza.

“You took a mission without knowing what it was first?” Laxus asked with a sidelong glance. He stood on the other side of Natsu, which left the buffer of the three others in the group between him and Erza who had been shooting him death glares.

“Alright Mr. Smart guy, what is the mission then?” Natsu shot back at him.

Though it was true that Laxus decided to come along before he knew what the mission was, he had read the posting before they left so he was aware of the mission details.

“There’s an object surrounded by a barrier under the water,” He said, recalling words on the posting. “It’s been shooting out magic whenever anyone or anything gets close. That includes the fish and other undersea life.”

“Which has been killing the animals, causing the dead fish to wash up on shore,” Erza continued. “Several of the villagers have been taking it as a bad omen, and a sign of misfortune and chaos. So, we’re going to be destroying the barrier, and retrieve whatever it’s protecting.”

“Which is why you needed water wizards,” Juvia filled in, mostly for Marina’s sake. After all, this was Marina’s first mission, which instead of choosing, was informed she would be going on. She likely had been just as lost as Natsu on the contents of the mission before now.

“But Natsu has fire magic,” Happy chimed in. “He won’t be any help in the water.”

“Thanks, pal,” Natsu said blandly, looking at his blue feline partner through narrowed eyes.

No one said anything, fully aware the only reason Natsu was coming on the mission at all was for Marina’s sake. Though the fire dragon slayer was formidable, his element did not mix with the water.

“Wait, so why is Laxus here?” Natsu was not oblivious to the awkward silence, instead choosing to totally ignore it. “Lightning doesn’t mix with water either.”

Erza had several sassy comebacks come to mind, but chose to keep them to herself. Her pride had been wounded by Laxus tagging along, but she refused to stoop to the level of name calling and petty insults.

“None of your business,” Laxus said shortly, not wanting to get into the logistics of the danger Marina could potentially cause them. Least of all in front of her.

-

The village was on an island not too far off from the coast, still barely visible through the gloomy fog that seemed to always surround it. To those unaware, the island held nothing more than a dormant volcano sprouting from the sea, but in reality, there was so much more. The trees and mountainous terrain of the island blocked the village from easy passage, and protected them from any invaders or thieves who wished to steal resources or colonize. In fact, without the map, it was likely no one would ever find it. The Octulo village, the village hidden from the world.

They all stood on the sands of the beach, squinting into the distance to see the island. As of now, the peak of the volcano was all that could be seen through the mist.

“So how exactly are we going to get there?” Natsu asked, already thinking about trying to make a boat out of a tree.

“There is no instruction or advice on how to cross the sea,” Erza noted, holding the mission details on the paper in her hand. “I have to imagine for such an impervious and untrusting village, this may be a test to see if we’re qualified to even set foot there.”

“So are we just supposed to swim there?” Natsu shot a glance at Happy, who rushed to hide behind Erza’s head. He wasn’t about to agree to carry four people to and from an island.

“There’s no need,” Marina said, holding a hand out in front of her. A magic circle that was completely cyan blue in color formed just in front of her palm. The circle spun, leaving her hand and jumping to lay horizontally on the water; growing in size to fit five people. She took a step forward, standing level on the circle of magic she had created.

Natsu didn’t hesitate to follow her, then the others followed.

“How are you capable of this?” Juvia asked. Water was her element as well, but Marina was doing things she never even thought of. “Is this some sort of dragon slayer art?”

“Not at all,” Marina shrugged. “My mom could swim, so she didn’t really need anything like this. This was something I created.”

“So it’s almost like Make Magic, then?” Juvia thought of Gray, and how he was capable of creating things with his ice with nothing more than a thought.

“I don’t know what that is,” Marina took a deep breath, and the circle began to move.

Expecting the three to become motion sick, Erza raised an expectant eyebrow. “Why are none of you becoming ill?”

“Because Marina isn’t a vehicle,” Natsu said with a shrug, as if it were really just that simple. “So tell me something.” The words were aimed at Marina, who had been too focused on the ocean to listen. She hadn’t seen the sea since she was captured, and had all but forgotten how beautiful it really was.

“What was that?” She asked, loving the feeling of the salty air in her hair, and the ocean spray brush against her face.

“Are your sister’s dragon slayers too?” The question caught not only Marina, but Juvia, Erza, Happy, and Laxus off guard. Could there be more water dragon slayers in the world?

A small smile crossed her lips, but it was one that contained no happiness. It was sad, mournful even. She shook her head, the wet strands of hair sticking to her face.

“I lost them before I met Talise.” She dropped her hand into the water, feeling it between her fingers like she had so long ago when she road on her mother’s back. “Our parents died when we were young, so it was up to Fiore and I to take care of our younger sisters. We lived in the streets for a while, sleeping in alleyways, or wherever else we could without being kicked out.”

“Is Talise your dragon?” Natsu asked, sitting down cross legged beside her.

“Yeah,” Marina sat down as well, stretching her legs out so her feet fell over the magic circle. “I left them one day - to try and find food. Levy was sick -” It took everyone a moment to realize the Levy she spoke of was not the Levy from their guild. “And when I came back, the village we lived in was gone.”

“Gone?” Erza questioned, still standing. “What do you mean?”

“I mean - gone. It was torn down to rubble. I don’t know what happened, but I couldn’t find my sisters. I had hoped they escaped; ran away from whatever happened.” She took a deep breath for a moment before speaking again, looking upwards to the sky. “But I was always terrified that they were beneath the wreckage. I left to find them, but instead I found Talise.”

“And she took care of you,” Natsu supplied with a confident nod. It was similar to how he had found Igneel.

“Yes. She promised me she would help me find my sisters,” She ran a hand through her hair. “But we never found them.”

“Did Talise disappear?” Natsu knew the answer before she said anything. Just like him, Gajeel, and Wendy, Marina’s dragon disappeared as well.

Marina nodded, leaning back onto her arms. “And when I tried to find her, Crawford found me instead.”

“That’s horrible,” It was Juvia this time. Though she didn’t know the extent to the depraved things Crawford put her through, she knew that he forced her into becoming a champion fighter. Juvia could also see the scars on the back of Marina’s shoulders from the sleeveless trench coat she wore. 

“Something’s wrong,” Erza said suddenly, causing everyone to turn to her. “We’ve been moving for the last fifteen minutes, but we haven’t gotten any closer to the island.”

Everyone turned their attention to the island, which seemed just as far away as it had when they stood on the beach. 

Those who lived in Octulo village were a highly religious bunch, and didn’t accept outsiders. The two things had to be related. Erza chewed at the inside of her cheek. “It’s likely another way to keep outsiders away.”

“We can’t exactly help the village out if we can’t get there,” Juvia pointed out.

“Maybe that’s the whole point,” Erza crossed her arms, frowning at where she could barely see the tip of the volcano’s peak from the mist. “We’ll have to find a way to break through whatever illusionary magic they’re using.”

“How do we do that?” Marina asked, looking at the red head from over her shoulder, still casually sitting on her magic circle. “Do you think it’s something we need to break through?”

“Or maybe,” Juvia bit the tip of her thumb, “We need to go under.” When everyone stared at her blankly, she continued. “If there isn’t a way from the surface to the village, maybe there is a way under the water.”

“And how are we going to do that?” Natsu asked, looking over the side of the magic circle with a frown. “I’m certainly not a diver.”

Marina stood, rolling her shoulders back as she focused. “I’m going to try something, but please try to not freak out.” Slowly, the circle began to sink into the water, everyone standing on it sinking right along with it.

“Are we about to die?” Happy asked, looking to every person within the party.

“Not if I can help it,” Marina mumbled, focusing on keeping the water away from where she and her comrades stood. As they began to sink deeper into the water, they became encased in a bubble of oxygen. Fish swam by in schools, squid, jellyfish, and other sea life went about their days around them.

“This is amazing,” Erza said, watching as a shark swooped into a traveling octopus. It swam away with tentacles dragging behind from its mouth.

“Hey Marina,” Happy said, leaning in as far as he could without touching the surrounding water. “Do you think we could catch a couple fish while we’re down here?”

“There’s no time for that,” Laxus said, stepping forward so he stood next to Marina. “We’re here.” Before them was a mass of earth that connected the island to the seafloor “There,” Laxus pointed, “There’s a cavern.”

In that mass of earth was a large hole. Likely how villagers came and went, and prevented outsiders from finding their village. The moment Marina’s magic crossed the threshold of the cavern, her magic started to waver.

“What’s going on?” Erza said, watching as their oxygen bubble became unstable. It moved around, dripping sea water down onto them.

“There’s nullifying magic set here,” Marina said through gritted teeth, trying to maintain the bubble. She had to make a choice now. If she rose too quickly, they could die from decompression sickness. There was also a matter of the pressure of the water. They were surrounded by air now, but what happened if the water came crashing down on them? It was likely the water would crush them before they even had a chance to drown. Marina was a water dragon slayer and was prepared to deal with the pressure of the ocean’s depths, but her friends were not.

Marina frowned, trying to formulate another way to manipulate her magic. This time, she brought her arms out slightly, palms facing ground. Smaller magic circles formed in front of her hands, causing water to pool beneath their feet. “Hold on!”

“Marina!” Erza called out, at first thinking that she was releasing her hold on the magic that kept them from drowning. Instead, they began to rise to the surface. The cavern was nothing but darkness, with light trickling down from the surface.

“Now are we about to die?” Happy asked again, feeling the water drip onto his fur.

Marina’s face was stoney, completely focused on getting to the surface, but not too fast. It was agonizing. She was fully aware of her magic coming apart around her, and knew that if they didn’t get to the surface soon, her friends would be done for.

The barrier of oxygen began to grow smaller, forcing everyone to huddle closer together as they lost more and more space around them. The magic circle started to turn back to water, quickly turning into nothing as the seconds ticked past.

Then, Marina’s magic completely fell apart. The water fell on top of her and the others, causing her to panic. She wasn’t going to lose the people closest to her again. She opened her mouth and swallowed the salt water, letting the element fuel her power. 

She felt a sharp pain in her neck, but didn’t pay it any mind. It was too dark to see her friends, so instead, she used her magic to feel for human bodies of water. The skin of her triceps began to burn, but she couldn’t see the redness of her blood pool around her. She reached out for the human bodies, yanking whoever she could upwards towards the surface, then going back down to find more. Though she was in a trench coat, her body moved through the water with ease. Like she was one of the sea creatures who called it home.

When she counted five, she broke through the surface of the water. Her friends panted, moving forward to the land in front of them. They had made it onto Octulo Island 

Erza looked up to where Marina began to walk onto the shore. Shocked to find her different from just mere seconds before when they were under the water.

Marina’s body had changed. Her arms were covered in teal colored scales, on her neck were three gashes she realized were gills, and from where her ears would be jutted out fin like appendages.

Marina had awakened her Dragon Force.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

The world became a blur as Marina’s entire world became agony. Her vision became tinged in red, and falling to her knees. She clutched at her head with both hands, gripping onto her hair and pulling so hard it nearly started to rip out. She shrieked, every cell in her body felt like it was being pulled apart piece by piece, as blood spurt from her newly formed scales. 

“Fuck!” Laxus yelled, running back into the water to grab hold of Marina. “Come on, Marina. You have to fight this!” He tried to pick her up, but she writhed and shook, almost as if she was trying to escape her own body. Her piercing screams rang painfully in his ears, but he maintained his hold on the girl. 

“What’s happening to her?” Erza and Natsu ran into the water, watching as the whites of Marina’s eyes turned red with popped blood vessels from the pressure of her own yelling. 

Happy and Juvia stayed on the land, watching the scene unfold with wide eyes and slack jaws. Juvia covered her mouth with both her hands, tears starting to fall from her eyes as Marina twitched and screamed. 

“It’s the Lacrima inside her.” Laxus set Marina down on the dirt, where she continued to squirm and wail. “It’s giving her more magic than her body can handle. Her body is exploding with power that it doesn’t know what to do with.” 

“Is she going to be okay?” Natsu knelt to her side, eyes wide. “Is there anything we can do to help her?” 

Laxus’ eyes were hard. “I came on this fucking mission in the first place to prevent this, and now the worst is happening and I have no idea what to do. She could level this whole village with the power stored inside her.” 

“A demon!” The voice of an old man called from behind them. The group turned, seeing an old, hunched over man in a long, dark cloak. Villagers of all ages stood behind him, watching in horror at the way Marina moved and screamed. “Priests, get the books immediately!” Several men left, presumably the priests. 

“She’s no demon!” Erza jumped to her feet, standing in front of Marina with arms outstretched. “But she is in pain. Her powers have become too strong for her and she’s fighting for control.”

“Foolish girl!” The older man called out. “This is a possession. You came to our village, and that girl fell under the control of a demon! She has to be exercised, otherwise she will send our island further into chaos.” 

The men returned, books in their hands, surrounded the group, and began chanting. The books glowed with their specific magic auras, and they all simultaneously lifted a palm to face their target: Marina. 

“You can’t do this!” Erza yelled, unmoving from her spot in front of the pain ridden girl. Laxus, Happy, Natsu, and Juvia jumped up and copied Erza, all outstretching their arms so Marina was protected by the physical circle they made around her. 

“Don’t touch her!” Juvia yelled out, finding her voice amidst the chaos. 

“She’s not a demon, she’s a dragon!” Natsu tried to yell over the chanting priests. “She needs a doctor, not an exorcism!” 

A light completely blue in color shot out from Marina’s eyes and mouth and into the sky. Her screams were louder than ever as pain continued to overwhelm her, but when the beam ceased, so did her screaming. She had fallen unconscious. 

“You did it!” The elder yelled to his priests. “You’ve saved this girl from being consumed by the devil!” 

“She did it herself!” Laxus roared, suddenly overcome with rage. “The pain she just went through is nothing any of you could understand, and she fought it on her own and won. Fuck anyone who says otherwise, and fuck you for trying to attack her.” 

“Bold words from someone who just had their friend saved,” The elder said with narrowed eyes, watching as Laxus ground his teeth together in an attempt to hold back his anger. “No matter, this was likely a traumatic event for you as well so I will forgive your vile tongue. Take the girl to Rhiamon to recover.” 

“Over my dead body,” Natsu growled, his hands lighting up with fire as the priests tried to get closer to Marina. 

“Hold on, Natsu.” Though still protectively standing in front of Marina, Erza looked over her shoulder to meet Natsu’s eyes. “She does need medical attention. She should see their medic, regardless of what actually happened.” 

Natsu looked down to Marina, the blue scales on her arms turning back into blood soaked flesh. Her closed eyes bled from the burst blood vessels, streaks of red trailing down her cheeks. The gills on her neck faded back into skin, but left three large scars in their wake.

“Fine,” Natsu conceded, turning around and lifting the unconscious girl in his arms. “But you won’t do a damn thing to her without me being there.” 

-

Rhiamon was a green haired, relatively young woman who wore large rounded glasses. Her eyes went wide the moment Natsu kicked her door in, at first thinking she was under attack. She hid under her work table, holding her arms above her head to protect it. 

“Take whatever you want, just don’t hurt me!” She shouted, shutting her eyes tightly. 

“This isn’t a mugging,” Natsu said, stepping into the room littered with medical supplies. “I need you to help my friend.” 

Rhiamon opened bright red eyes with curiosity, crawling out from under the desk on her hands and knees. When she saw the blood soaked Marina in his arms, she jumped to her feet. “Put her on the table.” 

She got to work once Natsu did as she asked. By this point, Erza, Juvia, Laxus, and Happy had filtered into the room, all looking frustrated and grim. Rhiamon grabbed a small light from her breast pocket, shining it into Marina’s eye that she opened with her thumb and forefinger to see how her pupil dilated. She didn’t flinch when she saw how terrifying the green of Marina’s eyes looked in contrast to her completely red sclera. 

But Happy and Juvia did. 

Natsu’s fists clenched at his side, not hiding the rage he was feeling. Laxus was in the same mindset. How dare those villagers try to attack her when she was already on the ground, clearly in pain. If their magic had touched Marina while she was fighting for control, it was likely she would have lost and killed everything and everyone on the island. 

“She’ll be okay,” Rhiamon said after a long stretch of silence. “She’ll need to rest, but her vitals are good. She’ll likely be sore, and have a gnarly headache when she wakes up. As for the subconjunctival hemorrhage, that will go away on its own.”

“She has a subjective horror show?” Natsu tried to repeat, but was woefully off from the actual medical words the doctor used. 

Rhiamon scoffed, then tried to cover it with a cough. “It means the whites of her eyes are red, so she’s going to look a little scary for a while.”

“Thank you for looking after her,” Erza said, placing a hand to her chest and bowing low.

“This wouldn’t have even happened if the only entrance to your island wasn’t at the bottom of the sea,” Laxus said with an upturned lip. He felt scornful for not only what happened to Marina, but the ridiculous amount of trouble it was to find their way to the village. 

Erza shot him a look, quickly looking away as shame pooled inside her stomach. When Marina fell, Laxus revealed his actual motive for coming along. It wasn’t that he thought Erza couldn’t handle it, it was to try and prevent Marina the pain he also had to go through when he got his Lacrima. 

“Yes, it’s quite the pickle getting to shore,” Rhiamon grabbed for a syringe, attempting to stick it into one of Marina’s veins. Natsu grabbed her wrist before she was able. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” He asked, veins popping out in his forehead. “You’re not going to do some freaky spell on her while I’m around.” 

“Oh please,” Rhiamon brushed him off. “I’m a woman of science, I don’t think there are ghosts or demons in her blood. I just want to take a sample and study it. It’s not often you find rare magic like hers.” 

Natsu ripped the syringe from her hand, crushing it in his fist. “She’s not some lab rat for you to play around with!” 

“Natsu, enough.” Erza said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’s safe now, and we need to get back to the mission at hand.” 

Natsu turned around quickly, still clearly upset. “How can you think of the mission right now when Marina got hurt trying to save us? And these people don’t even care, they think they’re the reason she’s okay. They can’t do this to people and get away with it.” 

“Natsu,” Laxus’ voice was firm, getting the fire dragon slayer’s attention. “I don’t like it anymore then you do, but the sooner we finish this mission, the sooner we can all get out of here.” 

“Fine,” Natsu said, dropping the shards of the syringe onto the floor. He shot a look at Rhiamon, “If I find any holes in her, you’re the one whose gonna be paying for it.” He ignored the odd look she gave him.

“I can stay behind and keep an eye on her,” Happy said, standing at attention with a paw in the air. “I’ll make sure there’s no funny business.” 

“That’s a good idea Happy,” Erza nodded, touching Natsu lightly on the back to guide him out of the room. “Thank you.” 

-

“I assume your friend is going to make a full recovery,” Said the village elder the moment the Fairy Tail team walked out of Rhiamon’s home. 

“Tell us about the object that’s been causing you so much torment,” Erza’s voice was brisk. Not rude, but certainly it left no room to make small talk. She was just as annoyed as the others, but starting a fight was going to get them nowhere. The best course of action to take was the one that got them home the quickest. She didn’t trust Rhiamon, wanting to get Marina to Porlyuscia as soon as they could. The Edolas version of the dragon Grandeeney would know better how to help Marina better than anyone. 

“The demons brought it,” The elder said, his frown deepening the wrinkles on his face. “In our lake we use for drinking water, there is a barrier protecting something the demon’s want to keep safe. We want that object so that we may destroy it, and rid our land of the chaos it has brought.” 

“Have you actually seen any demons, or are you just assuming?” Natsu asked pointedly, folding his arms across his chest. He was already far past his threshold for patience with these people. 

“One does not need to see the demon’s to know they are there!” The elder snapped. “Everything that gets near the object dies, and as the only source of water in the village, we cannot afford to have it polluted by demon filth.” 

“Show us where,” Laxus said, giving the people a look that clearly indicated he was not someone to be trifled with. Several people froze under his stare, at the moment feeling more intimidated by him than the girl they thought was possessed by a demon. 

The elder, along with his priests led the three deep into the town. Their homes and buildings were not as one would expect from a village hidden on an island. Though not made from metal or plaster, the structures were made of stone and brick. Towering trees blocked the sun from beating against the land, though trickles of light showed through as the wind blew the leaves.

They smelled the problem before they got here, the breeze wafting the aroma of death into the town. The first thing they noticed was the amount of dead frogs and fish that littered the shores, as well as the top of the lake. 

“Man,” Natsu said, plugging his nose with one hand. “This place reeks.”

“No kidding,” Laxus said with a deepening frown. “How long has it been like this?” That was when he noticed the human bodies he first thought were driftwood or a rock. 

The elder didn’t answer for a few moments, staring at the carasses that tainted their drinking water. “Weeks,” He said finally. “No one is brave enough to even try and retrieve our dead.”

“And I can’t imagine this is very good for your fishing economy,” Erza added, placing a hand on her hip. Would Juvia be able to reach the bottom of the water on her own? Did she even have the power to stop whatever was causing death to taint this lake?

Juvia was wondering the same, wishing Marina was conscious to help her come up with a plan. She began to take her clothes off, handing them to Erza for safe keeping, and revealing a one piece blue swimsuit under her clothes. 

“I can make an oxygen bubble like Marina did,” Juvia said, staring down into the water. “That way we can all get a look at what’s going on under there.” 

The other three nodded in agreement, prepared to face whatever may be lurking at the depths of this lake.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Help me.

A voice said in Marina’s head. This was not like her usual dreams, which became nightmares before too long. There was an urgency in the voice that compelled Marina to listen, though she did not know who it belonged to. 

Marina floated in darkness, looking around to try and find the source. “Where are you?” She called out. She couldn’t make anything out in the black, so she hoped hearing the voice would help put her on the right path. 

_ It’s so dark _ . The voice said, faltering as if overwhelmed with fear. It was a fear she knew well. When you looked into the darkness, sometimes it looked back into you. It was easy to lose yourself in. 

“I’ll find you!” Marina tried to comfort the voice, fully knowing that even just a little hope could be enough to keep someone holding on. “I just need you to keep talking.” 

_ I’m so scared _ . 

The scene changed. A pool of water, clear down to the very bottom. Slowly red started to rise to the surface, spidering off and completely tainting the clarity. 

Marina’s eyes shot open, her own outstretched hand over her as she tried finding the voice from her dream in the waking world. She brought her hand down to her side, and then a headache ached painfully behind her eyes. 

Sitting up made it worse. She groaned for a moment, putting a hand on her face. 

“Marina!” Happy called, flying over to where she laid. The excitement and anxiety tinging the feline’s voice made her wary. 

She took in her surroundings. It reminded her of Porlyusica’s home, and smelled as sterile. It was a medical room, filled with sharp objects and trinkets that made her skin crawl as she wondered if someone had been cut open on the very table she laid. 

She took a few moments to gather her thoughts, before asking, “What happened?” 

“You awakened your dragon force,” Happy said, looking near proud, but then his face fell. “But it hurt you because of the Lacrima inside you. Laxus said that you were fighting for control over your own power, and it hurt you bad.” He pointed a blue paw to her arms. When she looked, she saw what he meant. Her arms were covered in bandages, covering the wounds formed from where her scales grew in. 

“And I guess I won,” She noted dryly. They were just another couple of scars to add to the list. “Where are the others?”

“They went to the lake,” Happy landed at her side, letting his wings fold back into nothingness. “I stayed behind to make sure that crazy doctor didn’t do anything bad to you.” 

“The lake-” Marina’s breath hitched in her throat. Was that the body of water from her dream? “Take me there!” She demanded, causing Happy to fall off the table in surprise. Luckily he was able to summon his wings before he hit the ground. 

Flying back upwards he said, “I don’t know where it is!” 

“Far side of the village,” Said Riahmon, walking through the door into her lab.“Keep walking forward and you’ll find it.” Her red eyes scanned Marina, looking for any trace of ferocity or lack of control. 

Marina stared back with much less curiosity, unsure of why she was being analyzed. Regardless, she stood from the table, the headache behind her eyes starting to pound once again. Though she tried to ignore it, she was unable to suppress the grimace that crossed her face. 

Rhiamon frowned. “What exactly do you think you’ll accomplish by going to them? You’re in no condition to be fighting whatever is at the bottom at the lake.” 

“Not what,” Marina said, walking past the doctor who already knew she wouldn’t be able to stop the dragon slayer, even if she tried. “Who.” 

-

Like Marina had, Juvia was able to move the water around so she and her comrades were encased in a bubble of air. They walked from the shores onto the lake’s floor. Even the algae and other plant life wasn’t safe from whatever was plaguing this land. Everything was brown, dead, and shriveling within these waters. The flesh and bones of various sea life hung suspended in the cloudy waters. 

Natsu looked to Erza. “What do you think could do something like this?” 

Erza didn’t answer for a few moments. “Something powerful.” Whatever caused this was killing all living things that came close. Humans, plants, animals, it didn’t seem to matter. If it was alive, it was killed when it came close. 

They were unable to see through the murky waters, but what was visible was a dim light. One that started to brighten quickly. 

“Watch out!” Natsu yelled, the beam of light shooting directly at the oxygen bubble. 

-

From where the village elders and the priests stood around the lake, they witnessed the water began to bubble. Then, a piercing white light shot straight up. 

The villagers shielded their eyes with their hands, the light far too powerful to look directly at. When the light faded, spots danced in their vision. 

“There’s no way they survived that,” The elder muttered to himself. 

“Maybe they were able to avoid it,” one of the priests supplied, but no one held onto the hope of his words. 

-

“There!” Happy yelled, pointing to the beam of light that shot into the sky. He flew next to Marina, who had been running through the village as fast as she could. Though this much strain on her body was likely counterproductive, she had no other choice. 

“What is that?” Marina said, averting her eyes so she didn’t blind herself. “There’s so much power. It almost doesn’t feel natural.” 

They reached the lake, and the villagers looked to the elder, who stared at Marina with a blank expression. 

“Your eyes,” He said, remembering how they had become completely bloodshot with her screaming. “They’re terrifying.” 

When Marina didn’t answer, he continued. “Have the demons been exercised from your soul?” He asked her, who had yet to actually take notice to the other people near her. 

“Sure,” She said, not breaking eye contact with the water. She used her magic to try and find her friends, but something was hazing her powers. Likely whatever it was that shot that light. She turned to look at Happy, who had flown between her and the villagers, outstretching his arms in a clear message of:  _ You’ll have to go through me to get to her _ . “I’m going in after them.” 

“Then I’m coming too!” He said bravely, but when he looked at the waters he seconded guessed. 

“You don’t have to,” She tried to sound comforting. In reality, she wanted Happy with her. The idea of being alone was something that scared her now that she was out of the Pits. “I won’t think any less of you.” 

Overcome with the need to prove himself, Happy shouted, “No way! You’ll have to knock me out to keep me up here.” 

“I’m-” Marina hesitated for a few moments, unsure of what to say. “I’m not going to do that.” 

She took in a deep breath, a magic circle appearing on the ground under her feet. It glowed a deep blue, lighting up her body in the color. At once, the water’s before them began to part. A lake had much less water than an ocean did, so using this magic was a lot easier than it would have been earlier. 

Pain shot through her neck, the three scars opening back up to become gills once more. Blood dripped down her shoulder, but she barely felt it. Her ears turned into sharp blue fins, and the bandages on her arm came undone with the growing scales. 

“You’re dragon force again?” Happy said more to himself than her. “But Marina! Will you be able to control it this time?” 

Her head pounded, but was a long way from being out of control. She felt different, that was for sure. Her magic enveloped every inch of her, surrounding her in a blue light that kicked up nearby rocks and dirt. 

“She’s still demonic!” The elder yelled, pointing for his priests to take care of it. 

Marina’s eyes opened, turning to look at the villager’s over her shoulder. “No,” She said. “I’m a dragon.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

The moment Marina and Happy stepped into the parted lake, and out of earshot of the villagers, Happy said, “It would have been cooler if you said you were  _ draconic _ .” 

Marina’s eyebrows furrowed, continually parting where she and her feline companion would be walking, or flying. “What do you mean?” 

“The old guy said you were demonic,” Happy tried to explain. “So instead of saying you were a dragon, you should have said you were draconic. It would have sounded cooler.” 

Marina paused for a few beats, not stepping forward. She brought her lips into a line, thinking over Happy’s words and how she could respond to them. “I’ll.. keep that in mind for next time.” 

Then, the water turned a bright yellow. It was lucky neither Marina or Happy was currently touching it, because the static coming from the water was charged with magical power. Both the blue haired dragon slayer and cat’s hair stood on end. 

“What is this?” Happy asked, moving to Marina’s shoulder so she could protect him from whatever was going on around them. 

They got their answer quickly, as the parted water burst apart the magic Marina used to keep them dry. Quickly, Marina grabbed onto the scruff of Happy’s neck, hurling him upwards into the sky. 

“What are you doing?” He called out, using his wings so he stayed above the water. 

“Watch for the others!” She called back as the water took her under. Her dragon force was still in affect, the gills on her neck making her capable of breathing as she would on land. 

The tips of her fingers turned blue as the scales on her arms, a webbing forming between them to move through the water easier. Once again that light shot out, causing her to jerk back quickly so she wouldn’t be hit. It was lucky she spent most of her time with Talise in the water. 

Though murky with death, Marina was able to see clearly, and what she saw was a shimmering barrier. It was about five feet in height, and around it were the bodies of her friends. Laxus, Erza, and Natsu were being held down by the same shimmering energy as the barrier. Juvia, however, was nowhere to be seen. 

Laxus’ body was bright with magic, his being what tore apart her water barrier just moments ago. Though it was directed at the barrier and bindings that held him and his friends down, it propelled his magic in the opposite direction. 

Directly where she was. 

Jutting her hands forward, she was able to put a protective layer between her and the bolt of lightning. Magical lightning was different from natural lightning. Natural lightning would send a shock through the water, meanwhile his lightning was directed and fixed within magical energy. 

Natsu was powerless under the water, his fire extinguishing the moment he tried to summon it. Erza had changed outfits into one of her armored forms, but with her arms bound, it was difficult to use a weapon. All three were nearing the end of their breath, likely about to black out from suffocation.

Marina swam forward, reaching out to the shimmering bindings that would drown her friends before long. As she did, her hand passed through something strange. It wasn’t like the rest of the lake, it had energy in it. An energy she recognized. 

“Juvia!” Marina held both arms out to the familiar water, trying to pump enough magic in to give her a physical form once again. How much had she used to have completely lost control of her body? 

Juvia’s head and torso started to form back into being, her eyes still shut. 

A shot of energy hurled her and Juvia’s partial body back. 

_ Damn it.  _ Marina swore to herself. Juvia would have to wait. She, at least, seemed to be able to survive underwater without struggle. The other three were not so lucky. 

Marina’s hand glowed blue with power, shooting forward she slammed her fist into the barrier, causing both magics to explode together. Marina was once again shot back by the force, this time far and hard enough to have her back hit a rocky wall of the lake. Bubbles trailed upwards out of her mouth as the breath was knocked out of her. 

The barrier was still in place, but Laxus, Erza, and Natsu were freed. Their movements were rapid and uncoordinated, likely because the oxygen deprivation disoriented them. Marina sent a wave of magic their way, guiding them upwards towards the surface. 

Shimmering energy from the barrier trailed after them, likely to drag them down or kill them before they reached the surface. Marina forced the water around her to shoot at the barrier, the water curled into itself, making a tube of magical energy that propelled forward with the force of a bullet. 

  
  


Using this time, she took in a large gulp of the water. She was glad her dragon slayer stomach was so strong, because otherwise the tainted water would have made her sick. 

“Water dragon,” She mumbled through puffed out water filled cheeks, “ _ roar _ !” 

Her attack slammed into the barrier, causing a light too bright to bear to shine through the water. Barely understanding what was happening as it did, Marina grabbed for Juvia’s half formed body. Clutching her to her chest, magical energy shot them back. When it ceased, bubbles around the barrier danced upwards, uncovering what had become of it. The shimmering light disappeared. 

And all that was left was an egg. 

Marina finished giving Juvia magical energy while still under the water, causing her body to have fully formed once again. Juvia stirred immediately after the last part of her had been reformed. Dark blue eyes stared into green ones, causing Juvia to blink several times to try and understand what was happening. 

“Are you okay?” Marina asked, her voice not traveling well in the water. Still, Juvia understood. She nodded tentatively. Marina turned to where the barrier had been, staring at the large egg, completely lavender in color, with trails of a darker purple smoke like pattern. 

Before Marina could swim to it, Juvia grabbed her shoulder, shaking her head to try and convey how bad of an idea Juvia thought going toward it was. All Marina gave as an answer was a half hearted shrug. 

Marina grabbed the egg in both hands, a familiar feeling washing over her. The presence from the dream that woke her up. She smiled, though her voice was garbled by water, she still said, “I told you I would find you.” 

Marina carried the egg to the surface, Juvia warily behind her. When they broke through the surface, they saw that Happy had guided them to shore. There, they panted, laying out on the shore with outstretched arms. 

“The demon laid eggs in our waters!” The elder cried out, pointing a shaky finger at where Marina walked onto land. “Give it here, girl.” He demanded, shuffling to stand in front of her. 

She moved her body so the egg was farther away from him. She protectively clutched it as close as she could. “It’s my demon egg now.” 

“Marina,” Juvia said dully, hoping Marina didn’t antagonize them into another failed exorcism. 

“We need to eradicate it from this world!” The elder shouted, still trying to reach for the egg. 

Marina took several steps back to where Natsu and Laxus laid on the beach. “The barrier has been destroyed, you don’t have anything to fear anymore. FairyTail will commandeer this egg to-” She paused for a few moments to come up with a lie. “Study, and prevent more demon scum from plaguing the earth.” Even if there was a demon inside this egg, she certainly wasn’t going to let the villagers have it. If the voice from her dream really was the creature inside this egg, she wanted to protect it. 

The elder nodded. “Yes, I suppose that would be wise.” He turned to the lake, dark eyes scanning over the murky waters. “Still, the damage has been done. It will take months to clean this lake.” 

That gave Marina an idea. Natsu had leaned up, sitting criss cross on the dirt. Marina laid the egg in his lap without a word. 

“I don’t want your demon baby!” Natsu yelled out, watching her walk to the lake. 

Marina rolled her eyes. She let magic light her hands up blue, and placed them in the water. Though she couldn’t bring back the life lost to the water, if there was any remaining, maybe she could revitalize it. The moss, the coral, anything may have survived the destruction that befell the lake, she pumped magical energy into it. 

A pulse ran through her, life was coming back. She lifted her hands, small magic circles forming on each. The death in the waters, the bones, blood, and bodies trailed upwards within a bubble, leaving the lake clear once more. Gently she set the bubble down far from the lake to not pollute it again. 

“There,” Marina said, her dragon force scales and fins fading back into flesh. Her world danced for a moment, suddenly exhausted by her magic use.  _ Still not at 100% yet _ , she thought to herself with a frown. 

In truth, she was probably only able to use 45% or so of her abilities, and if she continued to use her magic recklessly, it was likely the Lacrima would destroy her. Laxus knew that, watching her grab the egg from Natsu. 

“We’re still getting paid, right?” Natsu asked, hopping to his feet. “Maybe she gets the demon egg, but I still need to buy food.” 

“Of course,” The elder nodded. “We’ll pay you back at the village, but-” He shot a glance to Marina, or rather, the egg she held. “When we do, I want you and that egg gone immediately.” 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

“What do you think is inside?” Mira asked, placing a butter and cinnamon covered sweet potato in front of her. Mira had wanted to make her something special for her first mission, but all the blue haired girl wanted was a sweet potato. Apparently taken with them after Porlyusica diced and boiled them once for her - before she had been kicked out. 

“Whatever this brown dust is-” Marina said after putting the fork in her mouth. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” Marina had the egg in her lap, wanting to keep it safe and away from anyone who may not be watching where they were going. She shot a dull look to Macao and Wakaba, who drank together animatedly. Luckily they had grown past shooting her dirty or doubtful looks, and had gone back to their usual ways. She rested her cheek on the egg, feeling its warmth. “I don’t know what’s inside, but whatever it is, it’s my friend.” 

Lisanna sat to Marina’s left, staring at the egg with fascination. “Say, Natsu,” She said, looking behind Marina to where he sat on her right. “Doesn’t it kind of look like Happy’s egg?” 

“Now that you mention it,” Natsu said, leaning in to look closer at the egg. “Yeah, it does. Only difference is Happy’s egg was white with blue marks.” 

“We did bring the Exeeds to Earth Land when we visited Edolas,” Charle pointed out, having overheard their conversation from a nearby table where she sat with Wendy. “If this really is an Exeed egg, as you are hypothesizing, it’s likely a product of that.” 

Marina didn’t know what an Exeed was, but didn’t so much care as she continued to munch on her sweet potato. 

Wendy clapped her hands together happily, “Meaning there will be even more Exeeds on Earth Land.” 

“Happy was a very cute kitten,” Mira chimed in with a smile. “I’m excited to see if this really is an Exeed egg, and if we’ll get a cute new addition to the FairyTail guild.” 

“But what was it doing under the water?” Lisanna asked, resting her cheek in her palm. “Unless there’s a new race that can swim instead of fly.” 

Marina’s eyebrows shot up, realizing now that Happy, Charle, Lector, Pantherlily, and Froche were the Exeeds they were talking about. Meaning, she would possibly have a feline companion like it seemed all the other dragon slayers who had been raised by dragons had. She gently nuzzled the egg, excited by the idea. 

“Marina,” She heard Laxus say from behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him, but he was frowning, a serious look on his face. “Can I talk to you?” He eyed the people around her, who looked at him curiously. “Alone.” 

Mira shot Laxus a teasing look, “Wow Laxus, you’re so bold. I mean, I’m not surprised, but getting Marina all alone already? How scandalous of you.” 

Laxus flushed under Mira’s gaze. Though she was only kidding, he knew about the rampant rumors about him throughout the guild and even outside it. It had been theorized that he had been with nearly every girl in the guild around his age based on his confidence and looks. In reality, it was the complete opposite, and he didn’t want Marina to get the wrong idea about him. 

“It’s not like that!” He defended, louder than he needed to. 

Marina was unbothered, looking at her half eaten sweet potato. “Can I finish my lunch first?” 

-

She held the possible Exeed egg in her arms, walking alongside Laxus through the FairyTail training grounds. Though he didn’t have a specific location in mind for this conversation, at the moment the grounds were sparse with people. No one would be able to hear them. 

He didn’t know how to begin, so he made several false starts that ended up with him staring frustrated at the ground. 

“Are you okay?” Marina asked with a quirked brow. She didn’t know Laxus to hesitate, so it brought up several scenarios in her head. All of them ending with her getting kicked out of the guild or handed over to the council. “Is this about the mission?” 

“Yeah,” Laxus confirmed. “Yeah, it is.” 

She took in a deep breath, taking a few quick steps forward so she stood in front of him. “Did I do something wrong? If I did you, can just tell me. Really, I can take it.” 

Caught off guard, he stared at her for a few beats. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. You did great on your mission.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Better than great actually.”

She had gone above and beyond for those people by not only fulfilling their request to retrieve the egg from their lake, but also healing and cleaning it. Neither he nor anyone else on that team would have done the same for those people, especially after how they treated Marina.

“Then why do you look so upset?” It wasn’t just that he looked upset, she could feel that he was. His heart was beating faster, meaning he had something on his mind that was bringing him stress. Reading people through the way the water in their bodies moved was something she taught herself when she was in the Pits. It made it easier to guess how they would attack, and how she would have to respond. 

“It’s just that,” He rubbed the back of his head, eyes closed. “I wasn’t able to help you when you needed it.” 

Marina’s eyebrows raised, unsure of what he could possibly mean by that. There were plenty of moments in her life she had to get through alone. That’s just how the world worked, wasn’t it? After ten years of being in the Pits, she hardly expected anyone to come to her rescue. Which made her feel indebted to FairyTail for doing so. Specifically the nine who saved her. 

The idea of Laxus feeling like he needed to help her beyond that left her stumped and confused. Laxus didn’t consider her point of view being far off from one someone who knew of kindness and compassion. So he took her confused silence to mean she was upset with him. A pit formed in his stomach. What was worse, her thinking he was a playboy or a bad person? 

“When did I need help?” She asked finally, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. 

“When you-” Laxus shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. “When you awakened your dragon force and it almost consumed you.” 

Marina pursed her lips, looking upwards to the sky. “What exactly could you have done to prevent that? I don’t remember much, but I do remember all of you standing around me to protect me from whatever magic the villagers were trying to pull.” She gave a light hearted shrug. “Seems to me like you did a great job in helping me, all of you did.” 

His eyes softened for a moment, bushing strands of hair away from her neck revealing the three scars her dragon force had left there. “I couldn’t save you from this.” 

She wanted to touch her neck to feel the scars, but the egg in her arms prevented her from doing so. “I have lots of scars,” She defended confidently. “This is no different from the ones on my back. I really don’t mind them.” 

“But you should!” Laxus said forcefully, louder than he intended. Others within the area looked over at them, so he glared and hushed his voice. “I should have been able to stop it.”

“Why do you want me to be angry with you so badly?” Her blatant tone made him flinch, almost making him feel like he was being scolded. “I’m not going to punish you or be upset with you just because you think I should be.” 

He stared at her, drawing his mouth into a line. He gestured for her to follow him to a nearby bench so they could both sit. This was more to benefit her, who carried the large egg that she had to continually readjust her hold of. 

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “My dad put the lightning dragon Lacrima into me when I was five.” Though he sat next to her, his mind was far away. “I went through the pain you did too, and that’s how I got this scar.” He didn’t gesture to it, but it was obvious he meant the lightning strike scar on his eye. 

Marina nodded to herself, though she didn’t understand his point of view. Was her scar really that bad? She thought the scar on his eye was almost endearing. A feature of his that was definitively Laxus. 

“I really don’t mind the scar,” She said softly. He had learned from her therapist when talking to people, sometimes they touched. She thought about putting her hand over his, but felt too uncomfortable with the idea to do so. 

He stayed quiet for a few beats. “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?” She shook her head, so he continued. “A light came out of your mouth and eyes. It was you winning your fight for control.” This time he absentmindedly touched the scar on his eye. “Gaining control over that much power can be… difficult. Sometimes that burst of power doesn’t just-” He looked upwards. “Go into the sky.” 

A feeling of dread pooled in Marina’s stomach, afraid of what he would say next. Still, she wanted to know. She had to know. “What happened, Laxus?” 

“I killed my mother.” 

She leaned back onto the bench, looking to the sky with him. There it was, the real reason he was upset. If Marina lost control she could have killed everyone in the vicinity, like Laxus once did when he was young. 

“You were a kid,” She said. “No one could have known what could happen.” 

“It doesn’t matter,” He stood up, keeping his back to her. “I have to live knowing that I killed my mom, and I’m the reason dad became such an asshole.” 

Marina stared at his back uncomfortably. She was hardly good with words, so him delving into his trauma was not something she knew how to deal with. Should she try and touch him now? She wondered to herself. 

She stood up, placing the egg on the bench. Almost mechanically, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him from behind. She felt him stiffen at her touch, more surprised than anything. He relaxed before long. 

“We’ve all done things we wish we could take back,” She muttered, keeping her cheek on his back. “But it’s about what you learn from those things that shows who you are. Maybe that Lacrima inside you took a life, but it also helped save mine. So -” she paused, unsure if she should stop hugging him or not. How long were hugs supposed to last? “I think you’re pretty great.” 

She could feel his heart beat from where her hands laid on his sternum, as well as the emotional response her words gave. His breath hitched for a moment, causing her to take a step back, no longer hugging him. He brought an arm to his face, wiping whatever proof of emotion there had been away. 

“We should get you back to the guild,” He said, not turning around. He knew his eyes had to be bloodshot, possibly even puffy. “A sweet potato isn’t nearly enough to eat for lunch. I’ll buy you an omelette.” 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Marina watched as Mira put up decorations on the large stage that laid front and center in the guild’s main lobby. Multicolored balloons, streamers, and confetti. 

“What is all this?” Marina asked. She had put down a soft pillow in the seat next to her where she rested the egg. Natsu had commented that the baby inside likely wouldn’t feel the cushion, mostly out of spite for it taking the seat next to her while Lucy had taken the other side. 

“We have a talent show coming up!” Mira responded with a big smile. “Everyone who participates will be showcasing a hidden talent, I’ll even be singing.” 

“I was thinking about doing something with my Celestial Spirits” Lucy said, leaning a cheek on her palm. “I have a feeling Taurus may be able to juggle Aries and I.” 

“That doesn’t count as your talent, Lucy,” Happy chimed in. “Making your spirits do all the work while you just stand around and watch.” He got a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Who even knows if Taurus would be able to lift you?”

“Hey!” Lucy called out, reaching out to try and grab the cat who flew away laughing. “One of these days..” She muttered under her breath, sitting back down on her chair. 

Marina’s brows furrowed, looking at Lucy. “I have to imagine you’re very easy to lift.” 

Lucy beamed. “Thank you, that damn cat just loves to rag on me. Anyway, Marina,” Lucy removed all thoughts of Happy from her mind. “Do you have any secret talents?” 

Marina stared at her for a few moments, unblinkingly. “No, I don’t think I do.” 

“Ah come on,” Natsu said, “You have to have something. Like I can eat my body weight in hot dogs.” 

Lucy shot him a dull look, “It’s probably more impressive that you can eat fire, and literally everything else.” 

Marina pondered if she had any unknown talents. She could swim and fight, that was about the extent to her knowledge of her abilities, and everybody already knew about them. There was nothing exactly hidden about her. 

“You could always try dancing,” A new voice said. Marina felt someone lay an arm on her head, and when she looked up she saw Gajeel. “Lucy and Levy already turned me down.” 

“That’s because I don’t want to wear that stupid playboy outfit,” Lucy said with an upturned lip. “And you’re not gonna trick Marina into that either.” 

Marina watched as the two swabbeled, barely noticing Natsu hop out of his seat. He tapped her twice on the shoulder, getting her attention, then gesturing for her to follow. She shrugged, grabbed the egg, and ducked under Lucy’s pointed fingers. 

“What’s up?” Marina asked once they got outside. 

Natsu turned to face her, a big smile on his face. “We’re going to figure out your hidden talent!” 

-

It wasn’t juggling, that became apparent very quickly. Nor was it impressions, kazoo playing, or even dancing, like Gajeel suggested. 

“I didn’t even want to participate in the talent show,” Marina said as Natsu handed her a bass he borrowed from a nearby street performer. She strummed the strings, playing with the frets to make different sounds.

“You know,” Natsu noted. “That doesn’t sound bad.” 

Marina furrowed her brows, looking upwards at him through her eyelashes so she could still look down at the instrument. “Is  _ not bad _ a compliment?” 

Natsu gave a shrug. “Yeah, I think so. Especially since this has to be the first time you’ve played a string instrument, right?” 

Marina nodded. She had seen musicians in the village when she still lived on the streets with her sisters, but that was the extent to her knowledge of music. She hummed a tune as she strummed, trying to match the tones. 

“I think music may be your hidden talent,” Natsu said as locals began to circle around, thinking Marina was a street performer. The man Natsu borrowed the bass from pushed his way through the growing crowd, standing next to her with a guitar. He began strumming as well, matching her tones and creating complementary ones. 

Marina felt like she should sing, but didn’t know any lyrics. Talise used to hum to her, but it sounded more like melodic whale sounds than human music. That was how she was humming now, trying to match it with the music she and this human man strummed. It was soft, almost enchanting the way the dragon’s music mixed with the human kind. 

There were a lot of people around now, staring at her. She felt small under their gaze, a lot like when she was training with Laxus and Natsu. The eyes of people boring into her, just like they did in the Pits. Flashes of blood and gore went through her mind. She wanted to run away and hide away from these eyes. She didn’t want to be looked at anymore.

The words of her therapist rang through in her mind.  _ When you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath. No one is making you do things anymore, you control your life.  _

She stopped playing, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath. Five seconds in, five seconds out. She pressed into the script magic on her arm, no longer feeling as anxious as she was before. When she opened her eyes the people were still there, still watching her, but this time she didn’t find them as intimidating as before. They weren’t watching her to see her kill or be killed, instead they just liked the music she made. 

The crowd erupted into clapping and cheers. 

She reached for Natsu’s hand, the sound making her nervous. His eclipsed her’s, his unnatural warmth brought on from his fire dragon slayer magic bringing her back to reality. These people weren’t clapping and causing a ruckus because someone was dead, it was because they wanted to show appreciation for the music she created. Some people even handed her a few jewel, that Natsu intercepted and put in his pockets to hold for her. The dresses and other outfits Lucy and Erza got her didn't often have pockets. 

Natsu reached for the bass in her lap, handing it back to the performer who thanked Marina for playing with him. 

“What was that song you were humming?” He asked. “I almost felt like I was floating as you were singing, like you were a Siren or something.”

Marina liked that nickname a lot better than the Leviathan.

The song didn’t have a name, so Marina said, “It’s something my mom used to sing for me.” Marina used to sing it when she was alone at night in her cell. The sound would calm her, and remind her of better times during the nights she was suffering. 

The street performer gave a shrug. “It doesn’t sound like anything I’ve heard before, maybe you should turn it into your own song.” 

-

Natsu took her to a nearby cafe, buying her a strawberry parfait. He counted out the jewel she made on the table, handing her what he said amounted to one hundred jewel. 

“Just for singing?” Marina asked, looking at the money with a cocked head. 

“For good singing,” Natsu corrected. “People sometimes give you money if they like how you play. It’s a good thing. It means you’re talented, and you can show off that talent at the Fairy Tail talent show!” 

Marina raised her brows, giving him a dull look. She had already stated she had no interest in the talent show, so why did it seem he wanted her involved with it so much?

“Well what is this?” A familiar voice said. She felt them approach before she saw them, planning to wave them over when they got closer. Standing a few feet behind them were Sting and Rouge, along with their Exeed companions at their feet. “I didn’t expect to see you two on such a public date.” 

“Check it out!” Marina jumped from her seat at the outside table, completely ignoring his comment. She lifted the egg from the seat next to her, showing them with excitement. “I have my own cat friend now.” 

“No way,” Sting said with a grin. “That looks just like Lector’s egg, except his was more orange.” 

Rouge nodded next to him. “And Froche’s was green.”

“What are you two doing here?” Natsu asked, taking a bite of Marina’s parfait while her back was turned. 

“The real question is,” Sting got in Natsu’s face, nearly touching foreheads. “Why do you think you can hog Marina all to yourself?”

“ _ Huh _ ?” Natsu stoof from the table, the two still butting heads. “No way would I ever let you go out with her.” 

As the two fought, Sting in a jealous way and Natsu in a brotherly way, Rouge shook his head. Sting would likely never give up his desire to be better than Natsu, and the idea that Marina and Natsu were together put the light dragon slayer into a jealous fit.

Marina paid them all no mind, instead sitting on her knees and saying hello to Froche. 

“Have you been eating well?” The green cat asked with a smile and sweet eyes. “You look happy, it’s really nice.” 

“Yeah,” Lector agreed, not used to his and Froche’s roles being reversed. “You look healthy, and your eyes are brighter.” 

“I had my first mission,” Marina said, sitting cross crossed and bringing the purple egg into her lap. “And got my very own Exceed.” 

Froche’s eyes grew wide. “Do you have a name for them once they hatch?” 

“A name?” Marina said, taken aback. She had never had the responsibility of naming anything before, so it didn’t even cross her mind. “Well, what do you think would be a good name?” 

Both the Exceed’s pondered that question. 

“What about Lector Jr?” Lector asked with sparkling eyes. 

Marina gave a feigned smile, with no intention of naming the possible Exceed kitten after him. “That’s a good idea.” 

“Ani!” Froche said, throwing his arms up. “Your name is Marina, and if you take the last letters you have Ina, and backwards that’s Ani.” 

Marina smiled in a way this pink costumed cat seemed to make her do. “It’s perfect.” 

She could barely even hear Natsu say, “She wouldn’t even wanna go out with your crop top wearing dumbass-” 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

  
  


Dr Yolea smiled when Marina recounted playing in front of the crowd. 

“I got overwhelmed,” Marina said. “But instead of panicking, I was able to calm down.” It was likely that she was able to do so mostly because Natsu was with her. He was a safety net that prevented her from falling into old habits. 

“Did you enjoy playing?” Dr Yolea asked, writing a few things on the paper on her clipboard. 

Marina frowned for a moment, not having thought of that. She didn’t like the attention that came from playing, because regardless of if it was positive or negative, it made her uncomfortable. She liked playing the bass though. It was almost like a puzzle, listening to how the sound changed depending on which frets you press on. Matching her hum to the music was also something she found interest in. 

“I guess so,” Marina conceded. “Not in front of people, so much.” 

“But you enjoy the act of playing,” The doctor prompted. “Did you feel nervous before the crowd came?” 

Marina thought about it for a few moments before shaking her head. 

“Then maybe music is something you can get into,” The doctor said. “Have you tried jotting down your thoughts and turning them into lyrics?” 

“My thoughts aren’t usually,” Marina paused, trying to think of the right word. “Happy.” 

The doctor nodded, already being fully aware of that. “A lot of music isn’t happy, sometimes it’s the most relatable. It would give you a chance to let your thoughts out, and also a creative way to use them that also relaxes you. Do you know anyone that may be able to give you guidance in music?” 

-

“You want to play with me?” Gajeel asked with what would have been an upturned brow, had he had any eyebrows. Marina wondered if he plucked them so he could maintain his steel eyebrow aesthetic. “I need a dancer, not a co-star.”

Marina shook her head. “Not for the talent show,” She still had no interest in being a part of that, despite Mira and Natsu’s pestering. “But I think I want to try writing songs and playing a -” She forgot the name of the instrument Natsu had taken from the street performer for her to play. “String instrument.” 

“String instra-” Gajeel repeated. “You mean a guitar or something?” 

She nodded, although didn’t actually know if that was a string instrument. She knew that the instrument she played, and the one the other performer played were similar but made different sounds. 

“Yeah alright,” Gajeel leaned against the counter of the bar, a cocky smile on his face. “I’ll teach you how to play. Hell, I’ll even teach you how to write music.” 

“Maybe-” Levy cut in. “She should ask Mira to teach her to write music.” She had the mental image of Gajeel and Marina both in white suits and sharp glasses singing  _ shoo be ba doo op _ , and wanting to do anything in her power to prevent that. 

“What, you think I can’t do it?” Gajeel asked, his smile turning into a snarl with no actual threat behind it. 

“No, no,” Levy lifted both her palms up, waving them in front of her. “I just think teaching someone to play an instrument is hard enough.” 

Gajeel, feeling less defensive, placed his chin in his hand. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“You should ask Laxus,” Mira said, filling Marina’s large water container and bringing it to her at the bar. “He’s really into music, he may be able to show you some interesting songs.” 

She glanced over at where Laxus said at a nearby table, the Thunder Tribe surrounding him. He wasn’t speaking, instead he had his head leaned back onto his chair with closed eyes. His headphones were on, and he was relaxing to the sound of whatever music came from them. 

She was comfortable enough with Laxus, so she stood from the bar, grabbing onto her egg, along with the cushion she put it on, and headed over to where he and his group sat. She set the cushion down on a nearby chair, setting the egg on it. She grabbed for another chair, pulling it up between Laxus and Freed, who both gave her questioning looks. Freed moved so she could easily sit between them, so she sat and stared at Laxus, waiting for him to address her. 

“What’s up?” He asked, pulling off one of his headphones. 

“Can I listen to music with you?” 

No one had ever dared ask him that before, either because they didn’t want to disturb him or didn’t care what he listened to. 

“Absolutely,” He said, endeared that she would want to. “Let me just…. Turn it down.” 

“Good,” Evergreen said from the other side of the table. “I’ve been able to listen with you all day from how loud you have it.” 

He shot her a look. “Lightning magic comes with thunder - which is very loud.” 

She waved him off. “Just say you’re deaf and give her the headphone.” 

“I’m not-” He tried to defend, but then just pouted and handed Marina one of his headphones. “Whatever.” 

Marina noticed the way the headphone cord became taught from how far they were sitting. So. she scooted closer to him, their arms touching. He glanced down, her head ever so slightly leaning against him. 

She didn’t think anything of it, but the rest of the table all stared with raised eyebrows. Freed’s jaw even dropping at the scene. It was both a mix of the brazeness of her actions, and also the fact she was willingly touching someone at all. She had come a long way from the day they met, but why did it have to be Laxus she touched?

Laxus didn’t mind. In fact, he was glad she felt comfortable with him. Her eyes were closed, listening to the song he played. It was a classic rock song, but she was picking out each individual sound and the way the singer’s voice harmonized with it. 

“I like this,” She said, a small smile on her lips. “What are the instruments being played?” 

“Well-” Laxus explained each sound to her, giving her examples of what they looked like, and how they were usually played. 

“I played a string instrument with Natsu the other day,” She said, pulling out the one hundred jewel she made that day. “Do you think I could buy one to practice with?” 

Laxus eyed the money for a moment, knowing she’d need a lot more to buy a quality instrument, before asking, “Are you sure you wanna play something with strings? You could also try out drums or the sax or something.” 

“I’ve only ever played with strings,” Marina said. 

“I could take you to a music store sometime,” He offered. “You could try out different things to see what you like best.”

“That would be amazing,” She said, the smile on her face beginning to reach her eyes.

-

“What, uh-” Natsu said, standing behind where Marina and Laxus sait together. “What the hell is this?” 

By this point they had been listening for hours, she and Laxus discussing music theory and how to adapt personal feelings into lyrics. They sorted through a lot of his favorite songs, dissecting the Verse and Chorus structure, along with how the artist chose to open and end the song. 

Marina found herself fascinated, hooked on every word, both from the song and Laxus. He was surprisingly adept at analyzing music, apparently even more of an aficionado then Mira made him out to be. He even admitted to wanting to be a vocalist when he was a teenager. 

“Hi Natsu,” Marina said, turning around just enough so the headphone wouldn’t fall off. “Laxus was showing me some songs. We’re gonna pick me out an instrument.” 

“For the talent show?” Natsu asked, suddenly excited. 

“Talent show?” Laxus repeated, glancing down at Marina. “I didn’t think you’d be into that.”

“I’m not,” Marina confirmed, not taking her eyes off Natsu. “It’s for personal fulfillment.”

“You can personally fulfill yourself on stage!” 

“Dude,” Bickslow said, shaking his head. “Rephrase that.” His tiki’s chimed along. “Rehrase! Rephrase!” 

Natsu looked at Marina, who was staring at him with big green eyes. Frowning he said, “Hey, can you grab me something from Mira?” 

“Grab you-” Marina scrunched up her face. “Sure, what do you want?” He shrugged, so she trotted away to ask for whatever Mira thought was yummy. 

“Look,” Natsu sat down in Marina’s chair once she was far enough away to not hear them. “A lot of people in Fairy Tail are still terrified of her. I see it, you see it, and you know she sees it.” 

The Thunder Tribe stared at him solemnly, only for Freed to say, “So you think that if she participates in the talent show it’ll make other members less cautious of her.” 

Natsu nodded. “Especially if she sings, or something.” 

“Well first you gotta convince her it’s a good idea,” Bickslow said, his tiki’s repeating  _ good idea, good idea.  _

“I already have Mira in on it,” Natsu agreed. “But she may be more into it if you guys encourage her too.” 

They thought about it for a moment, before Laxus gave a short laugh. “Alright fine,” He said with a half smile. “Let’s start a band.” 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Laxus regretted going to the music store. Not because of Marina, but because Natsu had rediscovered his passion for playing the drums. Right in the middle of the store where they were displayed. 

Marina strummed a few strings of various string instruments. So far she had tried out the ukulele, the violin, the harp, and the banjo. She liked them well enough, but they didn’t seem to suit her in the way she was looking for. 

She handed the banjo back to Laxus, who placed it back where he had found it, and pointed to a bass hanging on the wall. “That’s what I played the other day, and really liked it.” 

Laxus looked at the one she gestured to. It was plain with a light wooden finish. It wasn’t anything special, but he doubted she wanted anything flashy anyway. As a group they attracted attention. Everyone in Magnolia knew who he and Natsu were from the Grand Magic Games, and occasionally people came up to them to comment on how strong FairyTail as a whole was. 

Marina’s FairyTail tattoo was displayed on her wrist, which people caught glimpses of, and asked her questions. They were mostly along the lines of:  _ Are you new to FairyTail _ ?  _ Did you join because of their performance in Grand Magic Games _ ? 

She tried to answer their questions as amicably as possible, but the moment she looked uncomfortable both Laxus and Natsu stepped in. 

“Alright,” Laxus had said. “That’s enough questions. We’re customers, so we’d like some time to browse to ourselves.” 

Marina noted the admiring gaze from the women and several men, as well as the respect he commanded from all who listened. She wondered to herself how she may be able to also have that confidence. Laxus was strong, but so was she. Did it come with time? Or was there something else to it?

“Marina!” Natsu called, creating a small drum roll. “Pick out your instrument and jam with me.” 

Marina tried reaching for it, but it was too high on the wall for her to reach. She wondered if pulling water from the air to try and move the instrument to where she stood would ruin it. Before she could even truly contemplate that, Laxus grabbed it from the wall. “Being small must be tough,” He said with a playful tone in his voice. She frowned. Maybe his height was why he was so confident. 

She looked around for a moment, grabbing for a nearby stool used for customers to sit and play on. Laxus didn’t question her, knowing she was figuring out the world in her own way. He thought it best for her to try and come to terms with whatever was on her mind however she saw fit. 

She stood on the stool, holding onto his shoulder for support, barely looking down on him from the height. They looked at each other for a few moments, before she nodded. Still holding onto his shoulder, she got down. 

“Did you learn what you needed to?” He asked with a quirked eyebrow at the seemingly satisfied look on her face. 

She nodded, noting that she too felt more confident when she towered over others. Lucy often wore heels and boots with lifts in them, so maybe she would ask her about them to try and look taller. They seemed highly impractical for fighting though. 

Marina took the bass from Laxus, strumming the strings once. The sound made both she and Laxus flinch, the instrument being on display for a while and completely out of tune. 

“I can try and tune it,” Laxus offered, knowing that maybe it would be best for a representative to tune it. Still, he wanted to prove that he knew what he was doing when it came to music. After all, he didn’t want to look like he didn’t know what he was talking about when she asked him questions. 

“Sounds good to me,” Natsu said, still trying to egg Marina on to play with him. He had taken up the drums as a child because Master Makarov thought it would be a good way for him to get some energy out. He had played a few times, breaking way too many batter heads to be able to get a good grasp on playing correctly. 

As Laxus tuned the bass, Natsu began a drum roll, making incense eye contact with Laxus as he did. 

“Do you always have to be obnoxious?” Laxus asked with narrowed eyes. Natsu’s response was a grin and several exuberant nods. 

After a few minutes, Laxus handed the bass to Marina, who once again strummed her fingers down the strings. The sound was pretty this time, Laxus having done a near professional job in tuning by sound. 

Natsu began to play an erratic beat, which Marina didn’t know how to play with. She stared at him as he went, unsure of what he expected her to do. 

“Natsu,” Laxus said over the sound of the drumming. “Knock it off.” 

“Knock what off?” Natsu asked, thinking his drumming sounded just fine. He didn’t know how to play any songs, but surely Marina could match his rhythm like she had with the guitarist in the park. 

“You can’t make a song with random noise, and no one can play with you when you’re being a wild card.” He grabbed the sticks from Natsu’s hands. “Try this.” He beat on the drums in a way that actually made sense. 

Marina closed her eyes, getting used to the temp he created. She began to strum, matching the rhythm he created with no random changes in sound. She began to move her body to the sound, not dancing, per se, but swaying. Music had an interesting way of affecting the human body. With slower and more controlled sounds it lowered heart rate and blood pressure. It was calming, making people relaxed and even happy at times. 

She closed her eyes. With her magic, Marina was able to feel the water moving in the people around her. Laxus’ pulse was slower, seemingly enjoying the making of music as they played together. He looked back at her, but with her eyes closed he couldn’t meet her eyes. He did notice the calm look on her face, the way her body swayed. She was enjoying herself, he realized. This was something that made her happy. Or, at the very least, something she found contentment with. 

That was, unil shots fired into the store. Glass shattered inward, cutting several people who were within the blast range. The three Fairy Tail members stood up immediately, dropping the instruments in their hands. 

A man with a mask over his face and a thick jacket walked in through the glass, dark eyes wide with what looked like a mix of fear and excitement. 

“Marina-” The man rasped out, throwing his arms out so his jacket flew to either side around him, revealing several glowing lacrima. They were lime green in color with jutting sharp edges that cut into his sides. “Crawford thought you ought to know you’re not the only one.” 

Before anyone had the chance to do anything, the lacrima exploded in shards of green. Without thinking about it, Laxus jumped in front of Marina to shield her from the blast, his body crackling with electricity. 

What he didn’t know though was that because the inside of the store lacked any sort of cooling system the people inside began to sweat too cool their bodies. It was a natural reaction to warmth, one that Marina could take advantage of. 

She pulled the sweat from the bodies of the people around her, creating a barrier in front of Laxus and Natsu. 

The people around them dropped, shards of green littering their bodies in stab wounds. The attacker was not lost on the blast, having gotten the brunt of it from when it went off. 

The three of them were the only ones left alive. 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

The Magnolia Police Department arrived minutes after the attack, rushing into the scene with weapons and magic drawn. Only seeing the three dragon slayers standing in the middle of the carnage, they screamed for them to get on their knees. 

“You think we did this?” Natsu challenged, aghast at the thought. The weight of the death around him bearing down on his heart, causing various emotions to stir in his chest. He didn’t even have a chance to stop the carnage that came with the suicide bombers enterance. He couldn’t do anything but watch the people around them drop with the razor sharp lacrima that exploded into them. 

“Natsu,” Marina said, trying to calm the rage in his heart. “Do as they say.” She placed her hands behind her head, dropping to her knees. 

“But-” He turned to meet her eyes, but they were wide with terror, glassy as if she were fighting tears. He couldn’t feel the way her heart pounded in her chest, but the words the man said before using the exploding lacrima echoed in her mind. 

_ Crawford thought you ought to know you’re not the only one _ . 

That could only mean one thing. He had a new fighter. This was a message, he wanted her to face him and the one he was torturing in her place. 

Seeing the look on her face, Natsu steeled himself and got on his knees with a sharp look in his eyes. Laxus followed suit, both boys on either side of her. Natsu hadn’t realized it, but Laxus knew how dire this situation could become. The police force was hired through the Magic Council, and Marina needed to stay under their radar. Otherwise, she would likely be taken in as a prisoner for her time in the Pits. This was bad, and they couldn’t do anything to further cause suspicion. 

Some of the officer’s surveyed the area to ensure no one else was nearby for another attack, while others swiftly patted down the Fairy Tale members. 

Marina trembled under the feeling of foreign hands on her body. The brashness of their touch to see if she had anything on her person to try and attack them. The smell of blood overcame her senses, her heart hammered in her chest. It was too much, too much happening around her. 

“What’s wrong with her?” One of the officers asked, watching as Marina began to hyperventilate. She covered her nose and mouth with her hands, falling back to the floor on her knees and retching. 

“You think this is an easy situation?” Natsu yelled, couching to her side. “Question us or whatever if you need to, but get us out of here now.” 

One of the officer’s leaned down to try and yank Marina up, but Laxus stood in the way of his grasp before he had the chance. The look in his eyes was clear.  _ Don’t touch her.  _

“Fairy Tail won’t be able to get out of this,” The officer hissed, not liking how these wizards weren’t bending to him. In the eyes of the police force, Fairy Tail had been nothing more than vigilantes who caused insane amounts of damage wherever they went. Much more so than the other wizard guilds in Magnolia. 

Laxus tilted his head to the side, looking down on the man with narrowed eyes. He didn’t say anything, but the threat was there. 

Natsu held Marina up by the waist, pulling one of her arms over his shoulder. He whispered for her to keep her eyes closed as he navigated her through the blood and corpses that littered the floor. Bile rose in her throat again, but she didn’t wretch. Her nose and mouth were plugged by the palm of her hand. It wasn’t until she felt the feeling of wind on her skin that she opened her eyes again, a crowd of people who were nearby when the blast happened surrounded the entrance. 

Visions of the cheers in the Pits danced in her mind, so she grabbed onto her arm and the script magic Doctor Yolea had enchanted her with. The feeling of contentment filled her, but not nearly as potent as before. The rush of feeling wasn’t enough for her to overcome her anguish this time. 

-

Marina was a bundle of nerves when the police brought them back to the station. She hadn’t spoken in a while, and Natsu and Laxus had noticed the lack of color in her face and her dissociated eyes. 

“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Natsu had said to her while they were still outside the music shop. His tune changed the minute they were told to pile into the car to be taken back to HQ. “No way.” 

“We don’t have a choice,” Laxus said, rubbing the back of his head, his teeth clenched. He shot Natsu a look, reminding him that their cooperation was less about their comfort, and more about not raising suspicion on Marina. He just hoped Natsu was smart enough to keep what the bomber said before exploding quiet. 

_ Crawford thought you ought to know you’re not the only one _ . 

They had piled in the car, fighting the urge to vomit the whole ride. They had been separated when they got to the station. Different rooms for questioning so they could get a story from each of the wizards to see if they could find any discrepancies. 

“Do you mind if Marina and I are questioned together?” Natsu asked the officer that walked into the cold room he sat in. It was just a metal chair and table, a fluorescent light over him. “She gets nervous.” 

He was rejected, of course, but he was right. Marina was, indeed, nervous. She sat in her chair, hands folded in her lap as she stared down at them. The bomber’s words replayed in her mind. 

_ Crawford thought you ought to know you’re not the only one _ . 

That man was willing to die for the man who was once her jailer, but that wasn’t much of a surprise. Crawford tortured her in front of several of his guards, and it only fueled their animosity towards her. None of those who sided with Crawford were free of sin, letting evil happen was near as bad as committing it yourself. 

What scared Marina the most though, was how the bomber found her. How did Crawford know where she was? Had he known from the beginning? All those people were dead now so he could send her a message. 

What would her next move be? Fairy Tail wasn’t safe anymore. None of the guild members were safe, and neither was she. All the people she had come to know, her friends, the two who resembled her sisters, they could all be dead in an instant because of Crawford. Because of her. 

She was snapped from her thoughts when she felt the amount of water a human would possess outside the door to the room she was in. She had gotten complacent in her life in Fairy Tail, and stopped checking her surroundings as consistently as she had been. Because of that the bomber was able to surprise her, and now so many were dead. She wouldn’t make that same mistake again. 

One of the officer’s came into her room, but she refused to acknowledge him. Crawford taught her that when it came to people who held power over you, it was better to not speak unless spoken to. 

This man didn’t have much magical energy, so he was likely not a wizard. Maybe that was why he became a cop. 

“Can you tell me what your name is?” He asked her in a kindly tone. 

“Marina.” 

“Okay,” He continued. “Marina, can you tell me what happened?” 

She kept it simple. There was no need to say more than she needed to. “We were looking for instruments,” Her voice was devoid of emotion, like it had been when she was first rescued. She sounded almost robotic. “A man came in and-” She left out the words he directed at her. “Set off the lacrima he had under his jacket.” 

The cop nodded, “Right, that’s what your friends said too, but did the man say anything?” 

She didn’t risk looking up, not allowing him to see into her eyes, in case he could see the truth in them “Nothing I was able to understand.” 

Marina felt the man’s pulse quicken. He started to perspire more, breathing quickening ever so slightly. His blood pressure rose, either from anger or frustration, she guessed. 

“That’s not what your friends said,” He leaned back in his chair. Ah. the changes in his vitals made sense now, he was lying to her. 

She looked up with cold eyes that took him aback. Those were the eyes of someone much older, who had seen lifetime's worth of pain “Whatever they said-” Her voice was becoming rougher. “Has nothing to do with what I saw.” 

-

The FairyTail wizards were released from police custody hours later by the order of the Magic Council. Had the police force had their way, the three wizards would have been jailed for all the damage their guild had caused over the years. Luckily, Master Makarov was informed of his grandson, Natsu, and Marina were being questioned, so he rushed to get them released with the connections he had. Their stories matched up, no mention of what the bomber said, or how this was a targeted attack on Marina, so there was no reason to keep them detained any longer. 

Natsu opened his mouth to say something comforting, but before he could, Marina said, “I need to go.” 

Natsu frowned. “Yeah, I guess it’s been a long day. You should get some rest, and we can talk to the master about everything tomorrow.” 

Marina shook her head. There was no way she could return to the guild now. “No, I need to find Crawford. I need to end this.” Her hands shook, but she didn’t pay them any mind. She was enraged and anxious by the thought of the coming days. One message wouldn’t be the end of Crawford’s attack, if he knew where she was it was only a matter of time before something else happened. Before more people died. 

Laxus cut in this time. “You’re strong and all, but there’s no way you’re going up against him-”

“I _ have to _ !” The lacrima in her stomach began to flare, her magic illuminating blue around her. If there was someone else being subjected to Crawford’s torture, they needed to be saved. He couldn’t keep doing this, and she wouldn’t allow someone to suffer the way she had. She would sooner die.

Laxus gave her a long look, keeping his face completely neutral. He saw the conflicting emotions in her eyes. It was similar to what he felt when he rejoined the guild, a desperation to prove yourself and protect what you held dear. “You didn’t let me finish.” 

“What is there left to say?” Frustration rose in her chest. Didn’t he understand that stopping Crawford was much more important than her? Than staying at Fairy Tail?

He folded his arms across his chest, his jaw setting as he spoke “You’re not going up against him  _ alone _ .”

Marina stared at him with wide eyes, not feeling any signs he could be lying. She didn’t know what to say, so all she could do was blink at him with her mouth agape. 

“Yeah!” Natsu agreed, a grin spread out over his face. “You’re our friend, and there’s no way we’d let you go into something like that alone.” 

She looked to Natsu, who was just as determined as Laxus. “You both understand that this-”

“-is a suicide mission?” Laxus finished for her. “All the more reason for us to go, so you don’t get yourself killed on some quest for redemption.” 

She shot him an annoyed sidelong glance for cutting her off. “-isn’t going to be easy.”

Natsu shrugged. “Never is, is it? Busting you out wasn’t easy either, but we did it.” 

Marina shook her head, thinking both these men were out of their minds. She couldn’t fathom a reason why they would do this with her. There was no reason for them to get involved, they had no claim in this fight. Still, she knew there was no changing their minds.

-

Tomorrow, they decided. They would talk to the Master and create a plan on how to infiltrate the Pits once again, this time taking Crawford out and freeing his new fighter. 

They walked with her back to the guild, where she parted with them to go to Fairy Hills. She had gotten her own room, so she went up to be alone. She looked around at the sparseness, the Exceed egg currently with Mira so it was safe. She wouldn’t have to pack much.

What was the best outfit she had to fight in? She wondered to herself, looking through her closet. Ideally, nothing loose so anyone was able to grab onto her clothes, but it had to be comfortable, and easy to move in. 

She settled on an asymmetric romper dress, purple in color with the skirt going down from one hip to the floor, bare leg with shorts on the other. The sleeves were also asymmetric, one long bell sleeve while the other stopped at her shoulder. 

She packed up her things, taking other clothes that would be beneficial to her journey, but left the ones that wouldn’t be in the closet. There wouldn’t be any use for them anymore. 

She waited a few hours before she slung her duffle bag over her shoulder, leaving her room. It was evening by this point, and most of the guild members who lived in Fairy Hills were still at the guild hall.

She started to walk off the grounds, turning around for a moment to look at the Fairy Tail logo that hung on the entrance. Upturning her wrist, she smiled at the purple one that laid there. That smile soon faded, the moment she lifted her hand and placed it over the mark. It was gone when she removed it. 

She turned away and left Fairy Tail. 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have the time to comment, please let me know what you think of the story thus far! Thanks for reading :)

Laxus was outside the guild hall first, a bag swung over his shoulder. He knew, realistically, they wouldn’t be able to take down the entirety of the fighting Pits, but at the very least they could make the bastard who enslaved Marina pay. 

He leaned against the wall next to the entrance, looking up to the sky. He wanted to talk to Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen about this mission, but knew that the less people involved the better. They would need to get a disguise for Marina so Crawford and his guards didn’t recognize her. There was also the problem of Natsu. Would anyone remember how Marina - or rather, the Leviathan - took him down? Or was he just one of many faces Marina had slaughtered to the crowd?

He sighed heavily, watching as the cold air turned it to vapor and floated into nothing. After Marina fought Natsu, what exactly happened to her after? Was she brought back down to her cell until the next fight? Or did Crawford come down and torture her? He recalled she was naked when they met, having given her his coat to put over her small body. 

How many nights had she spent alone in that cell, with nothing but the smell of blood to keep her company? How many nights had she been deprived of food and water to the point her bones could be seen, barely hidden by skin? Laxus didn’t have an answer, and that pissed him off to no end. Crawford would pay for what he did to her. 

Natsu showed up not long after, Happy walking sleepily next to him. Natsu wore the look of determination. He had no smile on his face, but a look in his eyes that said that he believed in what they would set out to do. 

“So, what’s going on?” Happy asked them both, Natsu not giving him a straight answer when he got ready the moment he woke up. 

Laxus shot Natsu an annoyed glare for involving more people. An infiltration wouldn’t be too hard, considering how they had done it in a group of eight people and a cat once. The problem would be getting to Crawford, and getting out. Marina said it was likely he had a new fighter, so that also caused further problems. 

Would Marina even be able to fight someone just like her? Someone who may have been hurt in the same way she had been? She had been silenced for ten years, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have empathy. 

“We’re going back to the Pits,” Natsu said with a shrug. When Happy started to protest, Natsu pointed a finger in his face. “Hey, I told you not to come with me.” 

“Well now I have to come!” Happy threw his paws in the air animatedly. “What happens if something goes wrong? I’ll have to fly you out of there!” 

Natsu stared at him for a moment, then a large grin crossed his face. He placed a hand on Happy’s head, giving him a small pat. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, pal.” 

-

Two hours had passed since the time the three had agreed to meet. The sun had risen in the sky, and members of Fairy Tail began filtering into the guild hall. Many sent odd glances to Natsu and Laxus. Seeing them together without the rest of the Thunder Tribe and Team Natsu wasn’t something that happened often, if ever. 

“You don’t think she-” Happy started to say, before catching the eyes of Laxus and Natsu. They had the same thoughts he was about to voice.  _ She left without us.  _ Happy tried to double back. “She probably just overslept!” He said with a forced laugh. “You know how girls need their beauty sleep and all.” 

Natsu and Laxus made eye contact, and knew that wasn’t true. Marina had too many nightmares to oversleep. She was lucky to sleep at all most nights. 

At once, both dragon slayers turned and walked into the guild. If she had left, surely she must have told someone, right? There were few people Marina was close to, Laxus and Natsu being at the top of the list. Going down, it was possible she may have spoken to Mira, Juvia, or Levy. 

“Hey,” Natsu said, placing his hands on the bar of the guild. Mira turned around, holding a circular tray of food on each hand. “Have you seen Marina around?” 

Mira frowned at him with furrowed brows. “No, I haven’t seen her.” Not since the day she asked Gajeel to teach her to play the guitar. 

Laxus glanced down at Natsu, who at the same moment looked up at him. 

Without a word, Natsu turned away from the bar and towards where his friends sat at a nearby table. Erza, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, and Charle watched him walk up with clenched fists. 

“What’s going on?” Lucy asked, arms folded across the table. She craned her neck to try and look behind Natsu. “Where’s Marina? You two are usually always together.” 

“That’s just it,” Natsu folded his arms, looking towards the floor. “I don’t know where she is, and Mira hasn’t seen her either.” He also took this to mean that none of the five sitting here had seen her. That left Juvia and Levy. 

Erza stood from her seat, face deadly serious. “Has no one been watching over her?” She glanced over to where Laxus stood next to the table the Thunder Tribe sat at. He was speaking to them with a serious look on his face, spurring her forward to walk in front of him. 

“What is it now?” Laxus asked, annoyed Erza was taking his attention away from asking if anyone had seen Marina. Though Erza wasn’t angry with him anymore, there was still tension between them they had yet to discuss. 

“Don’t start,” She warned with narrowed eyes. “I’m going to help you find her.” Before Laxus could retort, she continued talking. “Before we assume she’s missing we need to talk to Juvia and Levy,” Erza’s voice was calm. It was Laxus’ job to watch over her, but also felt partially responsible. Marina had been living at Fairy Hills, just a few doors down from her own room. She should have been keeping an eye on her there. “If they don’t know where she is, we need to alert the Master.” 

Laxus chewed on the inside of his cheek, staring down at her. He hated how perspective she was. Marina’s grudge was common knowledge among those who rescued her, and she had made her desire for revenge clear. Erza likely suspected what was going on, but she would be even angrier to find out he and Natsu planned on accompanying her on this revenge mission. Especially without talking to anyone first.

He knew she was right, of course, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to talk to his grandfather about losing not only a member of Fairy Tail, but also an undefeated gladiator with hardly any social skills and a desire for revenge. 

Master Makarov liked Marina fine, her invitation to join Fairy Tail coming with their aid in protecting her. If she had left, it made her dangerous, and unprotected. She had clear PTSD, as well as other various disorders associated with her trauma. If she was alone in public, especially traveling, who knows what could happen? What if someone recognized her? Or she hurt someone on accident? Gramps had already been on the edge of alerting the Magic Council to the situation, and this may be what set that into motion. 

No matter how you looked at it, this was a bad situation.

Laxus nodded, and they took off to find the blue haired girls to see if they had any information on Marina. Erza went to Fairy Hills to find Juvia who was still missing from the guild hall. 

Natsu and Laxus went to find Levy, who was easy to locate. She was reading at a table with Gajeel next to her, his face in his palm as he looked off boredly. He’d never admit it, but he enjoyed these peaceful days where they could just be in each other’s presence. What he didn’t like, however, was Jet and Droy sat on the other side of the table, wishing they could take up residence next to Levy. He would catch the two glaring at him from time to time, only to shoot one back that made them shiver. 

“Levy,” Natsu said, getting her attention. Gajeel looked up at Natsu with a quirked brow, curious of what the fire dragon slayer wanted with Levy. “Have you seen Marina anywhere?” 

“I saw her last night,” Levy said with a frown. She recalled seeing her from the Fairy Hills Library, and going to her room, but hadn’t seen her since. “Is everything okay?” 

Neither Laxus or Natsu knew the answer to that, but they were willing to bet no. 

“We just needed to talk to her about a mission,” Laxus said, not entirely lying. Going to take down the Pits was a mission, just not a sanctioned one. 

Natsu shot him a look, and Laxus sent him one back, hoping he understood to go along with his story. Until they knew that she was missing for sure, they didn’t need to tell anyone. Once they had confirmed it however, was a different story. 

“A mission?” Levy was rightly skeptical. She pointed a finger at them both, “You two?” 

Laxus wished now he had gone to talk to Juvia instead of Levy. She was too smart for her own good. Of course she’d see through this ruse, she had known them for too many years not to. 

“We went on a mission not too long ago, and it was fine!” Natsu defended, trying his best to keep up the story. Lying wasn’t exactly something he was good at, seeing as he was so hot headed and sometimes blurted things out without thinking. Laxus hoped he’d stay silent and let him do the talking. 

“Yeah,” Levy snorted. “With Erza, Juvia, Marina, and Happy. You need more than just one person to be a buffer for you two.” She didn’t think they were lying, per se, but definitely knew something was off about this story. 

“We just thought we’d try out the dynamic,” Laxus continued. The thing with lying, even half lies, is that they led to even bigger ones you would have to keep track of. This was already starting to become a bigger pain than he wanted to deal with today, and he was prepared to take on gladiators. 

Levy’s eyes danced between Laxus and Natsu’s, looking for a detection of deceit. Gajeel, however, knew they were lying. No way Natsu and Laxus would willingly work together without their own teams with them. Laxus going on the water mission with them was a fluke in itself. There had to be a reason for this. 

He glanced to Levy, taking in how heavily she resembled Marina. Though it was a looser connection, she also looked like Juvia. Similar hair, facial structure, noses, and hair color. The only real difference was the height. Marina and Juvia stood at the same height, about 5’3, meanwhile Levy stopped growing before hitting 5’. 

That could only mean one thing, Gajeel decided. Something had happened to Marina, and they didn’t want it getting out. 

Gajeel rose from his seat with a fake smile on his face. He swung his arms around Laxus and Natsu, both giving him strange looks as he did. “I think I know where she could be,” Gajeel lied, trying his best to convey that with tone and facial expression. “Come with me.” He turned them around quickly, leading them away from Levy’s table. 

“What the hell is going on?” Gajeel asked once they were a safe distance away. 

“Wait, I thought you said you knew where she was?” Natsu asked, earning dull looks from both Gajeel and Laxus. 

“No, I just don’t want you two morons scaring people,” Gajeel said, earning a mocking brow raise from Laxus, who had already long since guessed his feelings for Levy. Gajeel could care less about people getting scared, it was Levy he was concerned about. 

Gajeel nudged him in the arm, a gesture that clearly meant  _ shut up _ . 

“We had a plan to meet with her this morning,” Laxus tried to relay quickly, not giving away the actual purpose of the meeting. Hopefully she really was at Fairy Hills and all this worrying was for nothing.

Gajeel’s face scrunched up. “What, like some sort of a date?” He tried to imagine Marina skipping along, hand in hand with the other two. “Never thought you two would be into polyamory, or whatever.” 

“No!” Natsu yelled. “We had a plan to do something today, nothing like that.”

Gajeel gave them a long look, trying to figure out what they could possibly need to do just the three of them, but decided after a few moments he didn’t care enough to continue thinking about it. 

-

Erza knocked briskly, hoping the water mage was awake enough to hear them. She waited impatiently for a few seconds before knocking a little more aggressively. 

“Give me like-” Erza heard Juvia’s voice yell from inside the room. “A damn  _ second _ !” The sound of frustrated shuffling ensued, causing Erza to place her hands on her hips and looked at the ceiling annoyed. When Juvia opened the door, she wore an over the shoulder white shirt and blue pajama pants covered in white stars. Her hair was disheveled, and she had dark circles under her eyes. “What? What couldn’t have waited until a reasonable time?”

Erza contemplated that for a moment. “It’s 10 AM.” She shook her head, remembering she was here for a reason. “Have you seen Marina anywhere?” 

Juvia stared at her dully, pointing to her face. “Do I look like I’ve seen anything outside my own eyelids recently?” 

Erza realized why she never saw Juvia before noon. She was not a morning person, and was incredibly grumpy without 7-10 hours of sleep. 

“Have you tried her room?” Juvia asked, turning back into her room to brush her teeth. 

Erza nodded, even though Juvia was not looking at her. “I did. There was no answer, and I don’t have a key to her room.” 

Toothbrush in her mouth, Juvia tried to find out a little more about the situation. “I’m guessing she isn’t at the guild, if you’re searching for her here.” Thoughts of when Marina wasn’t in the room the morning she spent the night in her room came back to mind. Kidnapping, running away, or worse. Juvia pushed those thoughts aside. Marina was too strong to be kidnapped, and she loved Fairy Tail. Still, Juvia couldn’t help but ask, “There’s no way she ran away, right?”

“I’m not exactly sure yet,” Erza said, waiting for Juvia to finish getting ready. “But Laxus and Natsu seem concerned, and that’s reason enough for me to worry.” 

Erza and Juvia hurried to find Laxus and Natsu, surprised to find them outside the guild hall with Gajeel with them. 

“What’s going on?” Juvia demanded from Laxus and Natsu, who still had yet to fill anyone in on what was happening. 

“So I’m guessing she wasn’t in her room,” Gajeel noted dryly. “Mornin’ Sleeping Beauty, surprised to see you before 2.” Juvia stuck her tongue out at him. 

Laxus set his jaw, knowing what their next move had to be. “We need to get the Old Man involved, and we’ll tell you everything.” 

-

The group of five barged into Master Makarov’s office. Mira had slipped into the room with them. The moment Natsu asked where Marina was, she knew there was trouble. Even more so now that Natsu and Laxus had added three more to the search.

“Alright,” The Master said, looking up from his desk from paperwork. “Not what I was expecting this morning, but alright.” 

Laxus ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. “We need to talk, Gramps.” 

After Laxus filled them in, the room was heavy. The Master looked downward, a vein popping out in his forehead. 

“She left Fairy Tail,” Juvia said to herself, clenching her hands in her lap. “After everything, she just left.” 

Erza shot her a look. “It can’t have been an easy decision. She was likely trying to protect Fairy Tail, and whoever this new fighter is.” 

That weighed heavily on them. A new fighter. Could they be as strong as Marina? 

“She can’t protect us by going out and getting herself killed!” Natsu exploded, enraged by his friend leaving. It was like part of the family walked away and left them behind. Didn’t she realize how selfish of a decision this was? “We were going to go with her!” 

“Which was stupid,” Master Makarov said before he could continue. “But if that is the case, she likely left before either of you could stop her. Which means she’s likely got a lead on us by several hours.” 

“What will we do, Master?” Mira asked, a mix of fierceness and fear in her voice. She was scared of losing her friend. “We have to help her, or at the very least go after her.”

The Master took a moment to think, which caused Natsu to let out a cry of frustration. “We don’t have time to sit around and come up with a plan. We need to get out there before it’s too late.”

“I understand you’re upset, Natsu,” Came the Master’s grumbled reply as his eyes were still closed, weighing his options. “But there is too much risk in charging in without a plan.” He paused for a second, saying the last thing anyone wanted to hear. “We’ll need to get the Council involved. Doing something this big without alerting them could be the end of Fairy Tail.” 

“That’s insane!” Natsu shouted, slamming a hand on the Master’s desk. “She’ll be imprisoned for the rest of her life, or did you forget she’s a criminal in their eyes?” 

“This is for the good of the guild!” Master Makarov snapped. “We’ll speak on her behalf, and on her rehabilitation. We can try and get her a lesser sentence for what she was forced to do.” He said the words for Natsu’s benefit, fullwell knowing that the Council would see this as black and white. No matter if she was forced to kill, she still killed. That’s all that mattered to them. 

“Then let me tell them,” Laxus said. “They already know I was kicked from Fairy Tail once, so they won’t be too surprised if I tell them I let her in without you knowing who she was.” 

Master Makarov stared at his grandson with wide eyes, unable to say anything for a few moments. “You’ll be punished for aiding her, you realize that?” 

Laxus nodded, refusing to meet his eyes. “Yeah, but someone is going to go down right? It was a risk to bring her here, and if someone has to pay for it, it may as well be me.” 

“Hey!” Natsu interrupted, grabbing onto Laxus’ shoulder to make him face him. “No way I’m gonna let anyone go down for this, and even if someone does, it’s gonna be me.” 

“As noble as both of you are being,” Erza cut in. “We were all involved. We all knew who she was.” 

Everyone turned to Master Makarov for a decision, watching the wrinkles in his face deepen with his frown. “You’re right,” He conceded. “But I cannot allow our guild to be destroyed for that choice.” He took in a deep breath. “I will tell the Council, and I will be the one punished for it.” 


	29. Chapter 29

The thing about being trapped in one place for most of your life, was that you didn’t know anything outside it. So, when Marina embarked on her quest to return to the Pits, she hadn’t realized she hadn’t the faintest idea where to find it. 

She started off by asking for directions from the townsfolk just outside Magnolia, but most of them were normal people and had no idea what she was talking about. She knew the Pits were an underground thing, but didn’t exactly know what that meant. So, she started asking people if they knew where the desert was. Her knowledge of the area may be limited, but she knew the sands that surrounded the arena from when Fairy Tail broke her out. That got her a little closer, but it also raised suspicion.

After all, you can’t go up to people and say, “Excuse me, do you know where I can find the fighting Pits? No? Okay, do you know where the desert is?” Without people thinking you’re up to no good. Which, technically she was. 

She walked through the down in the direction she was pointed in by locals with no desire to get on a train. Motion sickness would only weaken her, and as a fugitive, that was the last thing she needed right now. However, there was someone following her. She felt them using her magic, and despite going down alleyways and street paths she didn’t need to go down, they still tailed her. 

She was teetering on how to handle the situation. She had no intention of killing them, after all, that’s what Crawford would have wanted her to do. She had long since decided she wasn’t going to be the killer he made her to be anymore. Only he would be the exception to that. 

So, that left the question, what was she going to do? She knew talking wasn’t exactly her strong suit, and things may get worse if they caught her as she tried to run. Knocking them out was always an option, she considered. 

She walked down an alleyway that seemed particularly empty, hoping to not cause casualties in the fight. When she made it to the middle of the alleyway, she stopped and turned around. The person followed into the alley a few seconds later. They likely thought that being several seconds behind would throw her off, so they clearly didn’t know her abilities. 

It was a tall boy with a mess of dark curly hair and soft features. He didn’t look very old, so it was likely he wasn’t with the police. That, at the very least, was good. He stared at her with wide hazel eyes, dark freckles speckling his nose and cheeks. 

“Why are you following me?” She asked in a booming voice. She was trying to channel Laxus’s confidence, but she was missing several inches of height for that. 

“I heard you talking to some people in town,” The boy said. His voice cracked, indicating that he was likely going through puberty. He didn’t look to be that much older then Wendy. “About wanting to go to the Pits. I want you to take me too.” 

Marina didn’t know what face to make in that moment. Her brows knitted together, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish out of water. 

Why would anyone want to go to the Pits? The only people in the crowd were the obscenely wealthy that made dealings with the black market, or hardcore gamblers. This child was clearly not the first, and she doubted he was the second.

“How old are you?” She asked finally. 

“Fifteen.” 

She took in a deep breath. She had been captured by Crawford when she was about ten, so by the time she was his age she was long into being a champion fighter. The thought made her sick. 

“Why?” She tried to ask calmly, but her tone was harsh. He flinched. “Why would you want to go to that place?” 

He stayed silent for several moments, hazel eyes flicking from the ground to her, anxiety pooling off him in waves. She could feel the way his heart raced, as if terrified. Maybe he was, after all, what she lacked in stature she made up for in her unintentionally intimidating personality. 

“My sister,” He said, tentatively. It was likely he was trying to keep his voice calm, only telling her what he needed to. “She went missing a few weeks ago, along with some other kids.” His voice started to waver, so he took in a deep breath before continuing. “There have been rumors that they’ve been taken to be fighters in the Pits.” 

“Fighters?” Marina’s blood went cold, the words of the suicide bomber ringing through her mind. 

_ Crawford wanted you to know you’re not the only one.  _

It wasn’t just that he had a new champion, he was creating an army. He was stealing children, like he did with her to train to fight. 

She staggered back a few steps, suddenly lightheaded. The side wall of the alleyway caught her before she toppled. 

This was worse than she could have ever possibly imagined. Images started to flash through her mind. Small shaking hands coiled around the throat of a young boy until his eyes started to bulge. Blood and guts strewn about; the constant feeling of being dirty. 

She grabbed the sides of her head with both hands, more flashes of gruesome events. Until, they led her to her own reflection. She looked no older than twelve, covered in bruises and blood. Some of the blood was hers, but most wasn’t. Bodies littered the floor behind her, and she knew they were dead because of her. 

These were her memories. They were in pieces, like they had been fragmented, almost destroyed. She tried to focus on the images, trying to dig deeper into them and remember more, but even when she felt she was close to something, they slipped away. Marina tried to remember being twelve; tried to remember the early years of Crawford’s capture, but found she couldn’t. 

Had he taken them from her? Or had her mind tried to forget the trauma? 

She raked a hand through her hair, the boy staring at her with wide eyes and jaw dropped. She imagined she had to look fairly unhinged right now, but he knew she was looking for the Pits, so how sane had he really thought she was at the start?

“You can’t come with me,” She said, seeing the dejection in his eyes. “But, I will find your sister.” Crawford not only had the fighting Pits, but apparently training Pits where he raised stolen children into champions. Surely they couldn’t be too far apart? 

“Wait,” He said as Marina began to turn away. “I may be young, but I’m strong too.” 

“I don’t doubt that.” She looked back at him from over her shoulder. “But this isn’t a battle you want to fight.” It was better he let her risk her life to find his sister, at least she knew what she was getting into.

This boy was a child with his whole life ahead of him. Beyond killing Crawford, there was nothing left for her. Her time at Fairy Tail had been special to her, and she would never forget the people who thought she could be more.

She had to leave them to keep them safe. They would be better off with her gone, no longer having to hide who she was from the Magic Council, and risk themselves for her sake. It was better this way. 

“No way,” He said, holding his arms in an X in front of him. “There’s no way I can’t leave this all to you. I don’t know you, or what you can do. Even if you do find the Pits and my sister, if you die I’m still no closer to getting her back.” His determination reminded her of Natsu. 

Marina smiled ever so slightly, finding his confidence endearing. He was right though, if she fell before freeing the children, they wouldn’t be any closer than they were right now. 

“Okay,” She conceded. “You can come, but-” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Only after you show me how strong you really are.” 

“Like-” His voice cracked again, making her wonder if it was from fear. “A fight?” 

Marina shrugged. “Not necessarily, but if I don’t know what you can do, you won’t be much help to me.” It was less about being helpful, and more about how she could utilize him. She didn’t want him participating in any fights, but maybe he could aid her as she did. “To begin with, are you a wizard?” 

“Yeah,” He said with a confident nod. He held his hand up, an aura of green appeared just above his palm, encircling like a disk. “I can control energy.” He said with a wide grin. “I can suck it out of things to tire them out, or even throw it back at them in a wave. If I focus hard enough, sometimes I can even control a body part for a moment or two.” 

Marina raised her brows. Energy magic was not a common one. In the wrong hands, it could easily be used to cause famine and death. Not only that, but if he could harness his power, he could move people as he dedicated. 

“My sister is also an energy user,” He said, closing his palm and letting the disk disappear. “She can use it to augment parts of her body, making them stronger for a period of time.”

No wonder Crawford went after this family. These siblings had incredible abilities, ones that would likely make them amazing fighters. She set her lips into a line at the thought. The best way to get stronger was through perseverance and determination, not torture. 

She nodded, satisfied with his display of power. “Then, what is your name?” 

He cleared his throat again, likely so it wouldn’t crack. “Mars. And my sister is Gwendeloyn.” 

“Alright Mars,” She turned away from him once again. “Let’s find your sister.” 

-

Because Mars lived in the area, he knew the layout of the land. That meant, he had a better idea of how to find things then she did. Like, for example, where the desert was. 

Mars pointed to the East, “If we keep going that way we’ll hit the water.” He pointed North. “If we keep going that way we should find the desert. But I still don’t get why we can’t take a train or something. Getting there is going to take way longer if we walk.”

“Because I get motion sick,” Marina said simply.

“How great of a wizard can you be if you get motion sick?” He joked, trying to get her to crack a smile. If they were going to make this journey together, they may as well try to get along. 

“Unfortunately, it’s a common drawback with dragon slayer magic.” She thought it was a ridiculous trade off, but it was one she was not alone with. 

“Dragon slayer?” He questioned, slowing his pace to match her much shorter steps. “Like those guys from Fairy Tail and Sabertooth?”

The faces of her friends flashed in her mind, and she pushed them away the moment they did. If she thought about them, it may make her question her resolve to leave them behind. She couldn’t allow that, she was doing this to ensure they stayed safe. Crawford wouldn’t stop until one of them was dead. 

“Yeah,” She said mechanically. “Just like them.” 

-

Master Makarov left through the doors of his guild with a solemn look on his face, beside him were Laxus and Natsu. Erza and Mira stood at the doors, staring out at their backs, contemplating how to handle the coming days if the Master was taken in for questioning. 

“This is a bad idea, Old Man,” Laxus said, looking down to where his grandfather comfortably held his arms behind his back. “No way should you be doing this.” 

“I agree with Laxus,” Natsu said with a sideways glance. “If Laxus and I told them, then you and some other members could send out a search party to find her.” 

Master Makarov sighed heavily. “You two are more determined than anyone to find her,” He looked upwards to the sky. “No team I could make would compare to the ones you were on. It’s best this way.” He continued forward, this time Laxus and Natsu watched him go. 

With clenched fists and set jaws, then turned back into the guild to form their search teams. 


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much to those who have commented and left kudos! You're what help me push through my writers block, and I appreciate each one of you

Three teams were made. On the first was Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Erza, and Happy. On the second was Laxus, Bickslow, Evergreen, Freed, and Gajeel. On the third was Mirajane, Elfman and Lisanna.

“What could that girl be thinking?” Evergreen said, folding her arms in front of her. “After all the trouble we went to, to bring her here, she just left?” 

“I can’t imagine it was an easy choice,” Erza said, thinking about how much she wanted to protect her friends at the Tower of Heaven, but was unable to. In Marina’s position, Erza would have likely also sought revenge. “We won’t have much time to leave after the Master talks to the council. We have to move fast.”

“As much as I agree with you,” Lisanna said. “Why do we need so many people?” She looked back at the other teams, including herself there were fourteen Fairy Tail members here. “Didn’t you rescue her the first time with only nine people?”

“The situation’s changed since then,” Laxus countered. “She probably won’t want to come back with us this time. Especially now that Crawford knows where she is. He’s probably upped his man power since we broke her out of the Pits, so it won’t be as easy as last time.” 

“ _ Easy _ ?” Lucy stared at him incredulously, as if he had grown another head. “You call fighting off a bunch of guards who wanted to kill us easy?” 

Silence followed her comment. 

“In the best possible scenario, we’d be able to catch up to her before she even made it to the Pits,” Erza said thinking aloud. “Her directional sense isn’t the best, and she likely won’t take any cars or trains to get there due to her motion sickness.” 

“So what you’re saying is,” Gajeel’s frown deepened. “She could be anywhere.” 

Erza nodded. “That’s precisely why we had to bring so many people in on this mission. We’ll spread out and try to find her.” She pointed to Mira’s group. “You’ll be searching Magnolia to see if anyone has seen her. Ask local guilds, including other people she’s met. Porlyuscia, and Rouge and Sting of Sabertooth.” She pointed a finger at Laxus’ group. “Search neighboring areas, she can’t have gone farther than a town or two in this amount of time.” Her eyes fixed on Natsu’s. “And we’ll be waiting for her outside the Pits.” 

-

Marina soon realized how unprepared for locating the Pits she was soon after Mars joined her. She hadn’t realized how much reading and directional sense was involved in travel, and she was less than proficient at both.

“Wait so-” Mars said, staring at Marina with wide eyes. “You can’t read at all? Like, at all?” She shook her head with a frown, wondering when society became a mess of signs and words. “So what do you do in your free time?” 

Marina pondered that for a few moments. Most of her time at Fairy Tail had been spent resting and recovering from starvation, with the added bonus of her friends visiting her as she did. She spent most of her time with Natsu, usually eating or walking around Magnolia. There was also the times she spent listening to music with Laxus, or window shopping with Erza and Lucy. Beyond all that, she liked to spend time with Juvia and Levy. 

“I-” She hesitated on her words. “Spent time with my friends.”

-

As Marina and Mars traversed through towns, they found information from the less fortunate locals. They walked into an area of town with tents on every block, and fires built from garbage cans. 

“You two look lost,” A middle aged man with a salt and pepper beard commented. “You two don’t wanna stay down here. Some of our,  _ uh _ , people, don’t take kindly to outsiders.” 

“I appreciate the warning,” Marina said, not taking his words very seriously. What she lacked in directional sense and the ability to read she felt she more than made up for in fighting ability. “Have you heard any rumors of children being stolen?” 

The man’s eyes went hard, and he gestured for them to follow him. They walked to an area littered with trash, but otherwise no people nearby to listen. He got in close to them, almost creating a huddle. 

“A few of our kids have gone missing,” He said solemnly. “Just up and vanished with no note or anything. Didn’t know if it was the cops trying to get rid of us, or them just running away.” 

“And were all these children magically inclined?” Marina asked, remembering the way Crawford found her. She remembered waking up in the underwater cave she called home. Talise, being a water dragon, stayed in the water. Therefore, so did Marina. This cave wasn’t incredibly far under the surface, but certainly deep enough to stay out of sight from passersbys.

She wasn’t surprised to wake up alone, oftentimes Talise would wake up before her to hunt for breakfast. This usually annoyed Marina, because she wanted to hunt with her mother. Doing things together, watching how her mother moved, she found joy in it. She always found herself learning even when Talise wasn’t actively teaching. 

Marina grabbed for a spear she had made herself by sharpening a rock into a point, and jumped into the water without hesitation, hoping to find her mother before she finished hunting. Maybe she could surprise her with her own catch. 

She swam through the water with ease, feeling almost at one with it. Discovering a school of fish, she encased her body in magical energy to look at one with the sea. Fish had poor eyesight, so she didn’t have to use much. Once close enough, she shot forward, spear in hand, skewering three fish before they fled. 

“I did it!” She tried to call out with a smile, her words turning into garbled bubbles. Still, she smiled. She hadn’t seen any sign of her mother yet, but she could very well be using the same magic she had to keep herself cloaked. She swam back to the cave, shaking off once she entered the dryness. She had no qualms with eating fish raw, but thought it best to wait for her mother to return before digging in. After all, she was not an ungrateful child. 

Hours passed, and she had curled her legs into her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She stared at the pool of water Talise would have to come up through, just hoping that any second now she would rise from it with fish or seal or whatever else she may have caught during her hunt. 

Finally, she could stand waiting no longer and dove back into the water. She searched all the usual locations Talise brought her, going several miles away from the underwater cave. There was no sign of her anywhere, but she pressured forward. This couldn’t be right. Talise wouldn’t leave her unless something happened. She had lost her sisters once, she couldn’t lose her adoptive mother too. 

Hours passed like seconds, and the sun and gone down over the horizon. Marina was exhausted more than just physically, her mind was still frantic. On hands and knees she crawled onto a nearby beach, unable to continue searching. With heaving breaths that turned into sobs, she rolled onto her back and buried her face in her hands. She was alone again. 

“What are you doing here, little one?” Came a voice from outside the world blocked by her fingers. 

Marina jumped to her feet, exhaustion blocked by adrenaline. Being a water dweller made clothing more or less useless, so the only adornments she wore were the shells woven into her hair. She turned to run back to the water, but the man grabbed her by her wrist before she could. 

“Get off me!” She shrieked, trying to bite the hand that held her. “Mother!” Marina cried out, hoping Talise could somehow hear here. When nothing met her cries, she shot her unbound hand at the water, willing it to obey her. A cyan color magic circle appeared before her palm, and the water rose from the sea and flew to where she and the man stood. She hoped it would knock him away, loosening his grip so she could flee, but instead the water fell from the air and harmlessly onto the sand. 

“What?” Marina questioned out loud, turning to face the man with wide eyes. His dark ones met hers, and he smiled kindly. 

“That’s my magic,” He said, letting go of her wrist. She stared at him cautiously, unsure of what his intentions with her was, if not to attack. “I can nullify other magic.” He crouched downward, sitting on his knees so he was at eye level with her. “You screamed for your mother. Is she missing?” 

Marina nodded slowly, warm tears filling her eyes. Talise really didn’t come. She was really gone, and Marina had no idea how to follow. 

“I can help you find her, if you want.” The man said, extending a hand to her. 

_ He’ll help me _ , Marina thought to herself.  _ He’ll help me find Talise.  _ She placed her hand in his, letting him guide her away from the sea, and deeper into the land. 

“What’s your name?” He asked her, giving her a smile that made her feel like she was going to be okay.

“Marina,” She said softly, wiping tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand.

“What a lovely name,” His hand gripped her tighter. “I’m Crawford.” 

Back in the present, the middle aged man nodded to the now adult aged Marina. “Yes, they’re all magic users.” His frown deepened, looking over the heads of Marina and Mars to the camps of people beyond them. “This place was never safe, but I never imagined....”

Before he could continue his thought, Marina interrupted. “We are going to find them. Our goal is to release the captured children.” She stared at him levelly. “But to do that, we need your help.”

“What can I do?” He asked, both curious of how he could help them, and surprised they thought he could be of help at all. 

“Do you know where the Pits are from here?” Marina asked.

His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “The Pits? You don’t think-” Her curt nod made him cut himself short. He staggered back a few steps, before lowering himself to the ground and staring to the now darkened sky. 

“Can you take us to them?” She felt the fear in his reaction, but it was from more than just worry for the children. He knew more than he was letting on.

He shook his head. “No way. I’m not going back there. Not again.” 

“My sister was taken too,” Mars said, pleading with the man. “I need to get her back. Not only her, but the kids taken from your camp too.” 

The man shook his head again. “No way, I’m doing you a favor by not telling you where they are.”

“What about your missing children?” Marina reminded him. “Don’t you want to get them back?” 

He thought about it for a moment, eyes looking far away. “No,” He said after a while. “What happened to those kids is a tragedy, but I can’t risk all I’ve worked for because of them.” 

Marina’s eyes narrowed, and she reached to grab a fistful of his shirt, bringing him up from the ground and close to her. Surprising but him and Mars at how strong she was.

Her lips were pulled back in a snarl, unable to accept no for an answer. Marina knew better than anyone what the Pits were like, and wasn’t going to let this man’s cowardice keep her from saving lives. 

“Tell us where to go,” She demanded. “I don’t care if you come or not, but I will not allow you to let people die for your own selfishness.” 

“You don’t get it!” He screamed in her face. “I barely got out of there alive. I was a noble once, and when I went against the king he put me in the Pits with the Leviathan.” Marina froze in place. “He’s a monster, you’ll never survive up against him. If you get caught, he’ll kill you.” 

Marina dropped him, turning away from where he plopped onto the ground. “You didn’t go up against the Leviathan,” She said to herself, looking up to the sky. “If you did, you wouldn’t be alive to talk about it.” 

“How would you know?” He asked, heart hammering in his chest.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder, the gill like scars showing prominently on her neck. “Because I’ve only ever let one man out alive.” 


	31. Chapter 31

“Have you seen a girl about,” Gajeel looked behind him to where Evergreen stood, squinting at her and holding his hand several inches below her full height. “This tall? Blue hair, and some crazy RBF.” Though he knew it was for the best she wasn’t, he sort of wished Levy came along. She was a much better comparison for Marina then Evergreen was, but the only ones who knew about this rescue mission were the ones involved, including Master Makarov.

One of the villagers shook his head, continuing forward to the open air market nearby. 

Evergreen smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “She does not have RBF!” She defended. “You’d have to have an expression to have RBF.” 

“She has resting blank face, then,” Gajeel said with a shrug. “I don’t know, how are you describing her?”

“Well first off,” She said, crossing her arms, a smug look on her face. “Marina is about 5’2, not-” She held her hand up a few inches below her height, “ _ this _ tall, like you’ve been telling people. She has cerulean blue hair, and moss green eyes.” 

He rolled his eyes. “Sounds like you’re describing a character in a novel.” He started walking to try and stop another local. Though, because he was intimidating looking, several people walked faster to try and escape him. 

“That’s exactly how you describe a lost person!” She pointed a finger at him, staring intensely. “If we’re going to find Marina, we have to be able to describe her in detail. Her mannerisms, and how she carries herself in day to day life.” Marina was mostly silent, unless spoken too. She was constantly rigid, and though she didn’t talk about it, it was clear she rarely let her guard down. 

“Can you two focus?” Laxus said, passing out flyers with a depiction of Marina that Reedus drew. He had done them quickly, but they captured her likeness well. 

“But wait!” Reedus said as Laxus picked up his original sketch. “Let me give her more shadows under her eyes, it will display the haunted look of her past in a way people will see.” 

“You can draw her when she’s back at the guild!” Laxus snapped, taking them off the table Reedus laid them on.

“Excuse me?” An older woman said, hobbling over to Laxus. She held up one of the flyers with Marina’s face on it. “Are you the one passing out these flyers?” 

Laxus gave her a pointed look, still holding a stack of the flyers in his hand. “Yeah, that’d be me.” He was hoping she wasn’t about to start trying to scold him for handing out flyers without a permit or something. 

“I saw this girl yesterday,” She said, looking up at him best she could from her hunched over position, relying on her cane to keep her upright. “She was asking about how to get to the Pits from here, I didn’t understand what she meant. I assumed she was one of those,” She pointed her nose in the opposite direction. “People in the camps down the way.” 

Laxus shook his head. Of course Marina was so straight forward, after all she didn’t know the Pits were considered a taboo to talk about. Normal people either didn’t know they existed, or pretended they didn’t. Not only that, but if the wrong people overheard she would become a target. 

“Do you know where she went from here?” He asked. She was still about a day ahead of them, so he hoped Natsu’s team would get there before she did. 

-

“This is the worst,” Natsu groaned, leaning back in his chair. His complexion had turned green, and he was fighting the urge to vomit. He would take the train for very few people, and unlucky for him, Marina was one of them. They had to get to the Pits before her, and she would likely avoid any transportation beyond her own abilities. 

“Yeah,” Lucy agreed with a sigh. “I hope Marina knows how much trouble she’s putting us through by leaving. As a guild we could have handled whatever Crawford threw at us-” Erza, Gray, and Juvia shot her a wary glance, unsure if that were true or not. When Fairy Tail had gone up against the Phantom Lord Guild, that had been fairly close. Going up against trained and vicious security from the fighting Pits in the black market was a whole different game. 

Gray sat leaned over in his chair, elbows on his knees, staring down at his laced together hands. While it did bother him that Marina had left so abruptly, essentially making all the work they put into breaking her out pointless, he understood her reasons. 

His mind drifted to Deliora, and how the demon took not only Ur from the world, but also his parents. “I don’t blame her for wanting to get revenge.” He said suddenly. Juvia’s breath hitched from beside him, disturbed by the idea of her beloved Gray leaving the guild to fight without her. “If I were her I’d want that bastard dead too.” Moreso, he wished he could have been able to kill Deliora with his own hands. He couldn’t blame her for setting out to do something he would have done, given the chance. 

The rest of his group looked at him, even the sluggish Natsu. Juvia stayed silent, staring out the window. She pressed her lips into a fine line, wanting to dignify Gray’s comment, but was unable to. She was worried for Marina. Her mental health was already fragile, and going back to the place that caused her trauma would only worsen it. What type of person would she become if she did face Crawford? 

“No,” Erza agreed. “I don’t blame her either.” She crossed one leg over the other. Her mind once again drifted to Heaven’s Gate. “But what I do blame her for is leaving in the dead of night without telling anyone.” 

“She told me!” Natsu said, then immediately regretted talking as he put his head between his knees to stop himself from throwing up. “She just-” He groaned, holding a palm over his mouth. “Didn’t give me the chance to go with her.” 

Erza frowned. Why did she tell Laxus and Natsu about her plan to kill Crawford, and then leave without them? Surely she could use the backup, considering how much security the Pits had. It would only be worse this time, Marina had to know that better than anyone. So why didn’t she accept help? 

Unless… 

“She doesn’t plan on coming back,” Erza said aloud with wide eyes. All eyes snapped to her, except Juvia’s. She closed her eyes tightly, having already guessed the same. 

“What do you mean by that?” Lucy asked. “She has to come back. She’s a member of Fairy Tail.” 

“I mean-” Erza said, feeling the stress rise in her chest. “She doesn’t plan to survive their fight. She has no intention of returning, because this is the end of the line to her.” 

“I guess that makes sense,” Gray frowned. “Adjusting to normal life hasn’t exactly been easy for her. Especially now that Crawford knows where she is. Or, where she was, I guess.”

Erza nodded. “She likely blamed herself for the deaths in the music shop, and worried the same fate would befall Fairy Tail.” 

“That’s stupid,” Natsu said, leaning back up so he was slouching in his chair. His words sounded determined, but his body was nearly keeled over. “She’s not going to die against Crawford, no way.” He grunted, smiling as best he could given his motion sickness. “She’s going to come back, no matter what.” 

Juvia stared at Natsu, who looked confident despite his vulnerable state. Did he really believe they could bring Marina back, or was it wishful determinism? She wished she shared in his optimism, because she could only see darkness ahead. 

-

The older man did, indeed, give Marina and Mars the location of the Pits. Apparently after revealing you’re the undefeated champion, you’re less inclined to keep secrets. The Devil’s Tomb was where not only the Pits were located, but all sorts of other black market dealings. Body and human transport, drugs of all kinds, weapons, anything you could think of that you couldn't get in daily life, you could get there. 

So many nobles and royals from different lands put their best fighters, body guards, and knights against her to see who was truly the best. She couldn’t recall their faces anymore, after years they all blended together. It disgusted her to think about, that money led to corruption, and that led to the buying and selling of people, as well as needless deaths. 

Yes, she was a champion fighter, but she never wanted to be. It was because of people like Crawford, and those selfish people with wealth who put their best on the line to challenge her that she felt so uncomfortable in daily society. It was because there was a demand for violence that so many years of her life had been stolen from her. 

The moment the older man conveyed the location of the Pits, he ran off to his camp without looking back. That man had said he was once a noble, and when we went out of line, he had to fight using her name in the Pits. The tales of her brutality were used as threats to keep people in line. The thought made her stomach turn. 

Mars gave her a sidelong look, frowning deeply. “So, when were you going to drop that bomb on me?” He asked, taking a few steps to put a noticeable difference between them, causing Marina to arch her brows at him. 

“I have no bombs,” She said, fishing into her pockets and pulling out the material to show she had nothing in them. She was fully aware of the change of Mars’ mental state. His pulse had quickened, and he had begun to sweat. It wasn’t like when the cop was lying to her back at the police station, this was unease and anxiety physically manifesting itself. 

He would have laughed in other circumstances, thinking she was making a joke. He thought her clueless nature was a quirky personality trait, but now he wondered if she really didn’t know much about the world. “You’re the Leviathan.” He stated. “You’re supposed to be a cold blooded killer, someone people talk about like a monster.” Though Marina was aware of that, it still stung to hear. “But you don’t act like a monster.” 

Marina acted almost like a big sister. She was protective, and stern when she needed to be. She was clueless, and confused about simple things, but when it came to things she understood - like fighting - she was sharp as a whip. Just like all others who met her, Mars could hardly believe the woman standing before him could be a champion fighter. 

“I  _ was _ the Leviathan,” She corrected, her serious tone making Mars flinch. There was an edge in her voice that could easily cut him if he wasn’t careful. “I am not, and will not be the person he wants me to be.” 

“He?” Mars repeated with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean he?” 

“ _ Crawford _ ,” Marina said like a swear, her face scrunching in repulsion. “The owner of the Pits, and my captor of over ten years.”

“Crawford,” Mars repeated, committing the name to memory. “He’s the guy in charge then? The one who took my sister?” 

Though it was likely one of his underlings who had taken her, Marina nodded regardless. 

“No wonder you were so confident in going alone,” He mused to himself, not finding any actual humor in the situation. He ran a hand through his hair, taking in a deep breath and loudly exhaling. 

“It’s not too late for you to turn back,” She reminded him, only partially hoping he would take her up on it. It was too dangerous for a child to be walking into the Pits with her, but she had missed having company. Thanks to her friends at Fairy Tail, she wasn’t often alone. It was something that she hadn’t grown accustomed to, but something she appreciated nonetheless. “I will save your sister regardless.” 

Mars gave a lazy shrug. “I’m sure you will, but someone has to watch out for you.” He gestured to the camp with his thumb. “If word gets out about who you are, you’re going to need someone to watch your back.” She was once again reminded of Natsu, and her heart ached for the new home she had found at Fairy Tail. 

Faces of those she cared for flashed in her mind, causing a feeling she hadn’t had in years bubble inside her. Guilt. She felt guilty for leaving, not only that but she regretted it. She knew this was for the best, and that’s why she made the choice to go alone. Marina forced herself to stop thinking about Fairy Tail. There was no reason to dwell on her choices now after they had already been made. 

“We should go,” She began walking in the direction the man told them to go. “We have at least a day or so walk before we make it to the Pits.” 

“Can we get something to eat first?” Mars asked, chorused by his stomach gurgling loudly. His pulse had slowed considerably, much more at ease now then just a few moments ago. 

His words made her realize her own hunger. She had been so focused on her revenge she had completely ignored the cues her body used to alert her that she needed to eat. Starvation and irregular feedings made remembering to eat regularly difficult, so after she left Porlyuscia’s house, Mira would make her food at specific times so she wouldn’t forget. 

“What do you mean you’re not hungry?” She remembered Mira saying to her, hands on hips. By this point she had grown to understand Mirajane’s sisterly nature. In fact, she reminded Marina of her own elder sister, Fiore. “Did you eat something before getting here?” 

It was only 8 AM, and Marina had only just gotten a room at Fairy Hills. She had yet to adorn it with anything, especially not cookware she didn’t even know how to use. So, she shook her head.

“So the last thing you ate was the hamburger steak I made for you last night?” Mira was trying to be condescending to make Marina realize that not eating wasn’t something she could continue doing. 

Still, Marina stared, shaking her head back and forth. Mira went to work immediately, making an omelette with spinach and bacon. Marina thought nothing of it, thinking she was preparing food for herself or the Master. She was content to sit without conversation, almost preferring it. It was nice to just be around people without them expecting anything of you.

But no, this was not the case. Instead, Mira placed the food in front of her. Marina stared at it for a few moments before turning her eyes upwards to Mira’s. 

“But I’m not-” Marina tried to protest.

“Yes,” Mira pointed an eggy spatula at her. “You are. Eat, or I’ll make you.” Though Mira smiled, the glint in her eyes of a threat was there. Marina raised her hands in defeat, not willing to argue. 

Marina bit into the omelette, enjoying the taste and texture of the food. “Why do you cook for me?” She asked, watching as Mira filled a glass of water and set it beside the plate. 

“It’s what I do,” Mira said with a shrug. 

Marina shook her head. “No, I mean-” She leaned an elbow on the table, placing her cheek on her fist. “Why are you so…” She tried thinking of the appropriate word. Levy had offered to teach her how to read, which expanded her vocabulary substantially. “ _ Nice _ to me.” Still, sometimes smaller words were best. 

She turned around, looking over the sparsely packed hall. “Why is everyone so nice to me?” Marina frowned, turning back in her seat to face Mira. There were a few who still gave her looks and steered clear from her, but for the most part people had warmed up to her. Or, at the very least they stopped going to the Master to tell him how uncomfortable her presence made them.

“Why wouldn’t we be nice to you?” Mira asked, tilting her head to the side with a small smile. 

Marina’s mind went to Crawford and the guards. They would spit at her, degrade her, humiliate her, swear at her, and so much more. Until Fairy Tail had rescued her, she hadn’t been shown kindness since her time with Talise.

“Because I-” Marina hesitated on the words.  _ Because what, exactly? Because I don’t deserve it? _ She thought to herself. Because she had killed countless people over the years? Because she had been forced to do things she still had nightmares about? So many reasons piled up in her mind, making her feel more and more out of place, and more undeserving of the kindness she was being shown. 

Watching Marina’s eyes slowly lose any sort of emotion in them as she began to disassociate to cope with the feelings her memories gave her, Mira placed a hand on the water dragon slayer’s. The physical touch brought Marina back into reality, staring into Mira blue eyes. Fiore may have had green eyes like Marina, but in that moment she felt like she was looking at her own sister.

“There’s no reason to punish yourself for the past,” She said softly. “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. All you can do now is be better than the person you were yesterday.” 

Back in the present, Marina chewed on her lower lip. How was she supposed to be better? How was she supposed to forget the things she had done? She had told Laxus that people make mistakes, and it’s what you do with what you learned that was important, but in her eyes, while others were worth redemption, she was not. Redemption implied having a future, and that was not something she saw for herself. 

She walked forward, not looking at Mars as she did. “We’ll find something on the way.” She had brought what she had left of the Jewel she made on her mission with Fairy Tail with her. Since she hadn’t bought any sort of string instrument, there was plenty there for food. 

-

“Hello there, I’d like to talk with Sabertooth’s Master, please,” Mirajane said sweetly to the men who stood the doors of Sabertooth’s entrance. Elfman and Lisanna stood behind her, Elfman looking at both the buff men and thinking how manly their muscles were. 

The two large men glanced at each other. “Master Sting may be in a meeting,” One said with a shrug. “But I’ll check if he’s free for you.” He disappeared into the guild, making Mira absentmindedly wonder if they should get security for Fairy Tail too. 

Lisanna cupped a hand on the side of her mouth so the guard who stayed couldn’t read her lips, whispering into her sister’s ear, “Do you really think these guys will be able to help?” Mira gave her an assuring look, causing Lisanna to frown. Natsu and Gajeel certainly seemed to like the two dragon slayers of Sabertooth, but she wasn’t so sure that their judgement could be trusted. After all, she had seen Natsu pick and eat a mushroom that he assured her he would be able to eat, regardless if it was poisonous or not, and spend three days after bedridden. 

Natsu was strong and kind, but smart was never a word she would use to describe him. Gajeel had a little more brain, but even then when he and Natsu were together, it was like all common sense flew out the window. 

The large guard returned with the shadow dragon slayer, Rouge who nodded at the three Fairy Tail members. “Sting is currently handling something, but if you’d come with me we can talk inside.” Froche stood at his side, smiling up at them. 

They walked through Sabertooth, noting all the similarities and differences there were between this guild and their own. Elfman especially was impressed by the amount of pure manliness he felt in this guild. Maybe he would look for a gym buddy while he was here. He had tried asking Laxus once, but he worked out at ungodly hours in the morning that he could chase with a cup of coffee. Meanwhile Elfman preferred an evening workout followed by a long and restful sleep. 

Rouge led the three into a back room that had no others occupying it. It was a simple lounge, making Mira wonder what it was used for recreationally. They set on couches facing each other, Rouge watching them with half hearted interest. 

“What is this about?” Rouge asked. “Usually if you needed to get in contact with us, you would send a letter of some kind. A house call is a surprise.” 

“Yes, sorry about that,” Mira smiled. “But this wasn’t something that could wait.” Her smile fell, and she became much more serious. “Do you know of our dragon slayer, Marina?” She knew he did, considering Marina’s fight with Sting is what got her kicked from Porlyuscia’s home. 

Rouge nodded with furrowed brows. He had only met Marina a handful of times, and he had been impressed with her fighting abilities, as well as the way she was able to go toe to toe with Sting. He didn’t know her well, but didn’t have anything negative to say about her.

“She’s gone missing,” Mira said without delay. “We have an idea about where she may have gone, but figured we’d ask those she knows if they had seen her recently.” 

“Missing-” Rouge cut himself short, thinking back to the last time he saw her. He recalled seeing her and Natsu at a cafe recently, but she didn’t seem out of sorts in any way. “Does this have anything to do with the attack on that music store?” Word of the suicide bomber had gotten around Magnolia in the last day, as well as the three Fairy Tail members who were there and survived. He and Sting had spoken about checking in on those involved after hearing they were three of the four dragon slayers of Fairy Tail. He wished they did so sooner now. 

Mira nodded. “It was a premeditated attack on Marina,” She said, holding nothing back. The Master was likely speaking to the council now, so there was no use in withholding information. “By the owner of the fighting Pits in the Devil’s Tomb.” 

Rouge could only stare for a few moments, before getting up from his seat. “I’m going to get Sting.” His mind raced as he walked to the room over where Sting’s office was. He recalled noting the lifeless look in Marina’s eyes when she and Sting fought, and the way she waited for him to make the first move. Though he had only heard rumors of the Leviathan, those were her trademark. 

It was also odd thinking of the gaunt and skinny girl he had first met being a champion fighter. 

Sting looked up from his desk, piles of paper surrounding him. With furrowed brows, Sting gave him the most exasperated look he could muster, before seeing the look on his face. 

“What’s going on?” Sting asked, frustration fading away to concern. 

“Marina’s missing,” Rouge said, gesturing for Sting to follow him. “And it looks like she went to the fighting Pits.” 

“The fucking  _ what _ ?” Sting stood from his chair without hesitation, Lector following right behind him. 

-

Master Makarov stood gravely behind the stand, staring up at the council members who sat in their high rise chairs on an elevated floor. 

“What is this about Makarov?” Org asked, watching him through one eye skeptically. “How did the fighting Pits champion infiltrate Fairy Tail?” 

Makarov kept his face calm, years of practice having helped him maintain a good poker face. “A job went out through Fiore,” He said in a gravelly voice. “To rescue a girl by the name of Marina. It was said she was being held captive in the Pits.”

The council members exchanged looks, mixes of surprise and confusion clear on each of their faces. “And-” It was Belno who spoke this time. “Fairy Tail was able to rescue her?” 

Makarov nodded, noting the words she used. It wasn’t outrage at the job, or the target being the Leviathan. No, she was clearly surprised. “Did you know about this job?” He had heard of other guilds trying to take the job, only to fall short and either return home without finding Marina, or not coming back at all. 

“We did,” Gran Doma said, lacing his hands together. “It was a job that we didn’t think anyone would take, but-” He looked downward at the other council members who refused to meet his gaze. “We couldn’t take it down.” 

“Couldn’t take-” Makarov sputtered for a moment. “So you knew who Marina was and did nothing about it?” 

“We didn’t know the identity of this Marina was, no,” Gran Doma answered with narrowed eyes. “The reason why we didn’t step in is irrelevant. The point is, you let her join your guild with no word to us. Why?” 

“Because she is a terrified little girl!” Makarov said, gripping onto the rail of the stand before him. “Script magic had been placed on her mouth for years, she could barely even talk when she was brought back. Not to mention how starved and dehydrated she was. She wouldn’t have survived if we didn’t take her in.” 

“Also irrelevant,” Gran Doma said, holding his hand up. “She’ll need to be brought in for questioning.” 

Makarov felt a growl rumbling in his throat. “She’s gone.” 

“Gone?” Belno repeated, aghast. “What do you mean she’s gone?” 

“She disappeared last night,” Makarov said. “After the attack in the music store. It was an attack by her captor, the owner of the Pits.” 

Silence fell over the room for a few tense moments. Some of the council members dared not breathe at the idea of the Leviathan being loose. They thought of her like a wild animal, and not a person. They knew of her crimes, not her character, but to them it didn’t matter. 

“Do you have any idea the danger you have put all of Magnolia in?” Belno said, slamming a hand against the table in front of him. “The lives of hundreds - no, thousands are now at risk.”

“That’s enough,” Gran Doma said in a much calmer tone then Belno, but it was still strained enough to show he was caught off guard. “We will send search parties after her. Once we have her back, then we can deal with her.” 

“She isn’t the threat you’re making her out to be.” Master Makarov said, voice gruff. “I’ve met her. She’s odd, yes, but she isn’t-" He stopped himself, seeing how his words fell on deaf ears, they were already talking amongst themselves about how to proceed. He only hoped that Fairy Tail got to her before the Council did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Michael Jones is the english VA for Sting, I am unable to imagine him without the biggest potty mouth


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to blame this chapter being so late on my ex boyfriend for being such a wad. Remember your worth everyone, cuz I sure didn't
> 
> Things! Are! Finally! Happening!

“It’s-” Mars panted, his words falling short from his mouth. “It’s going to take days for us to find the Pits.” The sun had long since set, with Marina walking without halt from the moment the camp. Mars had tried speaking to her a few different times, but she didn’t give a response or any indication she had heard him at all. 

He had a feeling that if he saw the look on her face right now, he would have the same feeling as he did when she revealed her relation to the Pits. He was afraid of her - no, he was afraid for her. He knew she wouldn’t hurt him, the content of her character and straight forward nature revealed that much, but because from the look in her eyes he knew she’d stop at nothing until she reached her goal, the eradication of the Pits, and the one who owned them. 

“Marina,” Mars called out again, this time a tinge of pity in his voice. “We need to stop.” 

Marina frowned, not looking back at him. While she was not panting for breath, her body did feel fatigued. She hadn’t slept in several days, and hadn’t taken into account how traveling would affect a weary and healing body. Each movement caused an ache or pain somewhere, but with how used to fighting injured she was, she barely noticed at all. 

Though she didn’t realize it, Mars could see the way her body shook with every step, as if vengeance were really the only thing keeping her going. It was almost like watching a corpse walk, especially with how pale and gaunt her complexion was. The dark bags under her eyes proved to him that Marina wasn’t thinking about survival. Maybe she never had been.

By this point, Mars understood what was driving her. Hatred for the man who captured not only Marina, but his sister and likely so many more. Mars wanted nothing more than to strangle the man responsible with his bare hands, but his best bet was to lean on Marina and help her in any way he could. And right now, though it seems counterproductive, the best way to help her was to force her to stop and rest. 

He thought about reaching to touch her shoulder to try and halt her, but thought better of it. “You know,” Mars said, running a few steps so he could walk in tandem with her. “You’re looking pretty out of it.” No response. 

He continued anyway. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea for us to, you know, rest up for a little bit.” He looked to the sky, the moon high overhead. “At least for a few hours.” 

She shot him a sidelong look. God only knew what his sister and so many others could be dealing with at this very moment. While resting may be the most beneficial for them, how could she close her eyes knowing people would die while she did? She was too wired for rest, vengeance being the only thing on her mind. 

“I’m fine,” She said, but Mars saw how bloodshot her eyes had become. 

“You’re not fine,” he protested, trying to get her to see reason. “If you fight like this you could get us both killed.” 

She shot him a sharp look that reminded him of a dog snarl. He froze for a few moments, until she turned her gaze away from him. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she was a champion fighter, but at times like these he could see it in her eyes. Still, he had gathered that she wouldn’t stop if the reason was for her benefit, so he would have to switch tactics. 

“Okay, you got me,” He said in his best blasé tone. “I’m the one who’s exhausted.”

“You’re-” Marina cut herself off. He wasn’t lying, he was exhausted, but she could tell from the change in his heart beat and blood pressure that he wasn’t being entirely honest. 

By refusing to take the train, they would have to walk over one hundred miles by foot. It was better this way though. Based on how Crawford knew she had been at the music store, and sent someone after her, it was likely he was keeping tabs on her even now. If they were ambushed on a train, her motion sickness could cost her not only her own life, but Mars’. 

Stopping to eat and rest would cost them time, but at the very most it would likely take them four or so days to reach the Devil’s Tomb, according to the information the man at the camp gave them.

Maybe Mars was right. Maybe she did need to try and force herself to rest, otherwise she could make a mistake when she went up against Crawford and his goons and be the only one killed. 

Marina frowned, folding her arms and staring at the ground. “Okay,” She relented after a few moments of deliberation. “But only for a few hours.”

-

Lahar and Mest stood in a group with other magic council members, staring upwards to the stage the main members sat at. They held up one of the sketches Laxus and the rest of the Thunder Tribe were passing around with Marina’s likeness on it.

Gran Doma was the one who spoke. “You’re to find this girl and bring her back here alive.” His eyes scanned the room, wondering how many of the Custody Enforcement Unit wouldn’t come back after this. “She is a water wizard, known to be dangerous. Previously masquerading as a part of Fairy Tail, so whether she is armed is unknown.” 

Lahar and Mest exchanged glances, a bad feeling rising in both their chests. 

-

“So you’re telling me,” Sting said, looking downward at his fingers laced together in his lap. “That Marina is the champion of the Pits, and she’s going back for revenge because whoever the fuck is training more people like her.” 

“She was the champion of the Pits, yes,” Mira corrected. “And that’s exactly why we need to get to her before she has a chance to get to him.”

“Why?” Rouge asked, freezing in place when Mira shot him a glare. “Hear me out,” He said, raising his hands in defence. “If she can take him out, isn’t that problem solved?” 

“No the problem isn’t solved!” She shot back. “The Magic Council knows about her, and will likely try and stop her before she makes it to the Pits.”

“Why would they do that?” Lector asked this time, looking up to Sting, who looked visibly disturbed. 

“Because,” Sting answered, “If the fighting Pits get taken out, it’ll cause an uproar among those who participate in black market dealings.” It was likely human trafficking wasn’t the only business Crawford was heavily involved in. Though he was Marina’s target, there were many more who shared his ideals, including nobles and lords from other lands. Though Marina had left Fairy Tail, they were still the closest to her that those looking for revenge would target, whether she made it out alive or not. 

“So this is really bad,” Lector said mostly to himself, holding a paw to his chin as if he was deep in thought. 

-

“Unbelievable,” Levy said with her cheek resting in her palm. She leaned on one of the Fairy Til tables, staring at the large egg Gajeel had told her to watch after while he and all the other heavy hitters of Fairy Tail left together. 

Really, it was an insult to think that she wouldn’t have figured out what was going on. 

Marina had left, that was made abundantly clear, and they had gone to get her back. Gajeel had tried to keep her in the dark, much to her chagrin. Did he really think she was so weak she couldn’t be at least a little help to them? She cared about Marina too, and would have gone with them in a moment had she realized in time. 

Instead, she was here, guarding the underwater egg Marina was so fond of. 

Levy sighed, stretching her arms out on the table, laying her forehead down with a miserable look on her face. She halfway wondered if Gajeel would ever really take her seriously as an equal, instead of someone who needed protection. 

She sat up straight in a jerking motion, realizing her own thoughts. She wanted everyone to take her seriously, she said, a blush creeping on her cheeks. Not just Gajeel, of course! Everyone! 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Master Makarov walking in with a grim look on his face. She stood up in an instant, skating the table and by default, the egg. It fell to the side, but she was able to grab hold of it before it fell off the edge. With a heaving sigh, she held the massive egg in both arms, running forward to try and meet him before he disappeared into his office. 

“Master!” She called out, unable to see over the egg. “Master, wait!” 

He gave pause, looking back at Levy and taking a few steps back when she was approaching without being able to see where she was going. 

She peeked over the side of the egg to look at him, noticing how old he really looked in this moment. 

“What’s going on?” Levy asked, dropping any sort of small talk. 

The Master hissed out a sigh. “The Magic Council knows about Marina now, they’ll be hunting her down.” 

“Why would they?” She exclaimed, catching the attention of others within the guild. He sighed again, gesturing for her to follow him into his office. She sat the egg down on the couch, turning around immediately to get the answers Gajeel and the rest refused to give her.

-

Mest held the sketch of Marina that Reedus had drawn, his eyes scanning the townspeople as they went through.

“Approximately five feet two inches,” Lahar repeated what they were told from Gran Doma from next to him. “Blue hair, green eyes, petite, and likely malnourished.” 

“Seems more like we should be getting this girl to a hospital than a jail cell,” Mest mused, taking inventory of all the blue haired girls around them. No one quite met the description. 

“Maybe,” Lahar relented, “But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s dangerous and needs to be monitored.” 

After talking to a few people the pair, along with other subordinates were led to a camp deep within the more poverty stricken areas of the town. They were led to a middle aged man with a protruding belly sitting on a milk crate. 

“Do you know this girl?” Lahar asked, holding out the sketch. 

If the man did recognize her, he didn’t convey it. Those outside their tents began to fiddle absentmindedly with things so they could listen to the conversation, images of the blue haired girl still fresh in their minds. 

“Mighty fine clothes to be in this part of town, gentlemen,” The man said, rising to his feet. “You should be careful not to get dirt on those robes.” He pointed a dirt crusted fingernail at the white robes they wore. 

“We are the Magic Council’s Custody Enforcement,” Lahar said, his voice remaining level. “If you have any information on this girl, it is in your best interest to give it to me now, lest you be taken in as an accomplice.” 

“You’re enforcing rules on someone who wasn’t privileged enough to even know them in the first place,” The man smiled, but his tone was anything but cordial. 

“You’re evading the question,” Lahar’s tone was much more poignant. 

The man’s smile faltered for a second. “I think you’ll find that in this world, the one you boys are trying to step into, laws aren't what keeps things running.” 

“And what are?” Mest asked, feeling his magic instinctively swell inside his body. 

“Violence,” The middle aged man said. “The rules of beasts are the only ones recognized where you’re going. The ones with power and influence make the rules, while people like us,” He gestured a thumb to himself, but was including Marina in his statement, “Have to follow them.” 

“Maybe,” Mest conceded, “But someone like her can’t be left alone. Vengeance will do no more than bring more violence.” 

“This girl will stop at nothing to reach her goal,” The man said, leaning back on a nearby wall graffitied to the point the original color couldn’t be seen. He remembered her eyes. The eyes of a killer. Even in memory they gave him chills. “Careful you don’t get in her way, or you may have to learn the rules of the beasts.” 

“Which way?” Mest asked, and the older man pointed with his chin. 

-

The sunrise hadn’t broken through the sky when Marina opened her eyes. Mars snored loudly beside her, unaware of anything going on around him. 

She wondered how Natsu was doing, and if she would be able to see not only him, but Laxus, Levy, Juvia, and all the other friends she had made before she died. She doubted it. 

She sensed water nearby, enough water for several human bodies. They were closing in fast, causing Marina to sent a shot of water, barely more than a squirt gun, directly at Mars’ face. 

“What the hell was that?” Mars asked, sputtering and wiping the water off with his shirt. 

“We got trouble.” Was all Marina could say.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boulevard of Broken Dreams would be a good song for Marina, right?

Marina stayed poised when someone from the surrounding group stepped forward. A man with a dark hair and a scar on the side of his face that looked like a T with a cross through the middle stepped forward. 

“Marina!” Mest said with a practiced smile on his face. “Glad I caught up to you before anything bad happened.” 

Marina blinked a few times before a name came to her. “Mest?” Where did she know him from? Fairy Tail? Right, that was it. Memories started coming to her. He sat at the counter when she would order omelettes from Mira in the morning. He was… a friend? The word seemed foreign, but if he was a part of Fairy Tail, surely he was trustworthy. 

He nodded, satisfied by her response. “Yeah, hey Marina.” He put his hands on his hips, his smile not faltering. “What are you doing out here?”

“Why are we surrounded, Mest?” Marina wasted no time on formalities, not only because she didn’t know them, but also because she wasn’t a fan of crowds, nor the looming of potential threats. 

Not actually knowing Marina made talking himself out of this situation difficult, but he was glad his memory magic worked on her and kept her at bay, for now. Hopefully they’d be able to get her back to HQ without injury to them or her. 

“They’re some of my friends,” Mest said, causing Marina to scrunch her face. She hadn’t seen any of these people before, were they all a part of Fairy Tail? Or from somewhere else? “They came with me to help bring you back to Fairy Tail.” She noticed the change in his pulse and blood pressure, alerting her to the lie immediately. They were too far out from the city to cause collateral damage or hurt bystanders, but she still hesitated. 

“Mest,” She said slowly, sounding out his name as if it were foreign. “I don’t want to fight you.” She was mostly concerned with time constraints. Mars had convinced her to rest for a few hours, and now with this distraction they were wasting even more time. 

Lahar was farther back, listening in to the conversation. His brows furrowed when he heard her. She was known to be dangerous, and yet didn’t want to fight them? He was vaguely reminded of Jellal. 

“Then come back with us,” Mest said, not dropping the note of comfort in his voice. “We don’t need to fight.”   


That’s when it clicked in Marina’s head, and the illusion was shattered. “If you actually knew me,” A magic circle bloomed around her feet, the force of her power causing strands of her hair to float. “You’d know why I can’t go back.” 

Mest ran forward, the rest of the guards joining him in a head on assault. He was fast, and threw a punch at her face in an instant. She ducked under, grabbing handfuls of his robes and throwing him over her shoulder and onto the ground. 

He tried to spring up, but she planted a foot in the middle of his chest to keep him down. The look in her eyes sent chills down his spine, causing him to freeze in place. It was almost like being face to face with a beast. 

“Listen to me!” Marina shouted, causing the assault to pause for a moment. Then, it began again. No one would listen to her, they were all strangers sent to bring her back to Magnolia, after all. 

Mars began to get overrun, and was unable to do much while holding Mest down. Something desperate in Marina called to her magic. She held her hand out, positioning her fingers in what almost looked like a claw. Cyan magic made the veins in her arm glow blue, and the water inside their assailants stopped. 

The crowd was frozen in place, unable to move.

“ _ Listen _ !” This time she screamed this time. Her voice reverberated through her, causing Mest to feel its force from beneath her foot. “I don’t want to fight any of you. I have no choice in going back to the Pits. Crawford is making more champions, and will create an army of warriors like me.” 

“What did you do to them?” Mest asked from beneath her foot, completely ignoring her frantic plea and vital information. 

A tinge of annoyance flared in her chest. “I’m not exactly sure,” she said, fatigue once again causing aches in her body. “Regardless, I’m not sure who you are, but you’re clearly not working for Crawford, nor with Fairy Tail.” She dropped her magic, allowing the crowd to move once again. A rush of pain flooded her head, causing her to flinch, giving Mest the time to remove her foot from his chest and spring back to his feet. 

“Fairy Tail is the reason we’re here,” Mest said, brushing the dirt off his robes. 

Marina eyed him warily. “What does that mean?” 

“It means,” Lahar had stepped forward once he had regained control of his body. “Fairy Tail came to the council and told us about you, and now we’re bringing you back to stand trial.” 

Lahar continued to talk, but Marina was breathless, unable to hear anything except the racing of her own thoughts. “Fairy Tail-” The words fell from her lips like a sigh. The faces of her friends flashed through her mind. They had told the Magic Council about her? They had asked her to join in the first place in exchange for their protection  _ from _ the council. 

Words and feelings flooded through her mind, none of which she was capable of dealing with right now. 

She looked down at the wrist that once held the purple Fairy Tail mark.  _ They were supposed to be my friends _ , was all she could think. Apparently that had changed the moment she had removed the mark. 

Even if she did survive going back to the Pits, it seemed she didn’t have a home to go back to. 

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the last breath she could before mentally detaching herself of Magnolia and Fairy Tail completely. 

Her eyes snapped open, and she lunged for Mars. The Magic Council Custody Enforcement and Rune Knights jumped to action, but weren’t fast enough to prevent Marina from waving her hand in a circle above her head, the moisture in the air collecting around her. She enveloped herself and Mars within a cyclone of water, lifting their bodies off the ground and propelling forward. 

This was a last ditch attempt on Marina’s part to prevent a fight, not only because she didn’t want to risk killing these people, but also because she didn’t want them to see her cry. 

-

Natsu, Happy Erza, Lucy, Juvia, and Grey broke into pairs to scout out different areas of the surrounding area of the Pits. Natsu and Happy walked around the town before the desert leading to the arena, Lucy and Erza patrolled the entrance, and Juvia and Grey tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. 

Natsu had put up a fight saying that he should be scouting inside, but his face was already known within the Pits as one of the finalists to fight and die by the Leviathan’s hand. If someone who was there that day saw him, their rescue mission would be blown. 

“Do you think we can stop her?” Lucy asked, looking up to the sky with a frown on her face. She hated the desert, it was so hot and dry it was a shock to think about anyone willingly coming back here. 

“I don’t think she’ll try and fight us,” Erza answered with crossed arms. “But if she does, I doubt that she’ll use as extreme of measures she did to incapacitate Natsu during their fight.” Erza frowned, though she had confidence that with all their strength, surely they’d be able to safely take Marina down, she didn’t want to test that. 

Lucy made a face, holding her arm to her chest. The way Marina sliced through his skin like butter haunted her sometimes, especially when they sat together doing something as simple as eating. It was hard to believe Marina and the person who cut Natsu down were the same person. 

-

“Do you think it's wise to be leaving town?” Evergreen asked Laxus, who walked with clenched fists at the head of the group. “She may come back.”

“There’s no way she would,” Laxus answered. “She’s already passed through, there’s no way she would turn back now.” 

The words of the middle aged man from the camp just outside of town where they passed out flyers told them the same thing he told the Magic Council members, but that wasn’t what was bothering Laxus. 

Gajeel took a few quick steps so he was shoulder to shoulder with Laxus. He lowered his voice so only the lightning dragon slayer could hear. “I would have never expected you to be the jealous type.” He wore a teasing grin, but Laxus didn’t look at him to see it. 

He felt heat rise up his neck. “That’s not it,” Laxus snapped. The middle aged man had told them that Marina was traveling with someone, and he knew for a fact it was no one from Fairy Tail. So who was this mysterious companion, and how did he convince the mistrustful Marina to let him tag along? It didn’t make sense to him, and he feared this was a trap that she was going to walk right into. 

“Whatever,” Gajeel said with a shrug. “You probably don’t have anything to worry about anyway, she’s not really the type to run off with some dude.” He thought to himself for a moment. “Unless it was Natsu, maybe.” 

Laxus shot him a sidelong look. “What does that mean?” 

“I mean, she likes Natsu enough that she’d probably jump off a bridge if he asked.” Gajeel ran a hand through his long, dark hair. 

An image of Marina and Natsu came to mind, but Laxus quickly pushed the thoughts away. There was no way Marina liked Natsu in more than a platonic way, especially when she left him behind at Fairy Tail. 

Still, the image kept coming back, causing Laxus to pick up the pace to find her as soon as possible.

-

When her magic disappeared, Marina trudged forward, eyes red and puffy. Mars could hear her sniffle every so often, but didn’t know why. She was upset, he could clearly see that, and it had something to do with the Fairy Tail guild. 

He wanted to say something, but with so little information, nothing he said would likely make her feel any better, so instead he stayed silent. 

“We aren’t far from the Pits,” Marina said in a gravely tone. The magic she used propelled them forward so quickly that the Council Members were unable to keep up. While they had gained momentum, they couldn’t afford to waste any time. They were on the run. 

They had yet to make it to the Devil’s Tomb, but the town just before it was looming over the horizon. 

Mars felt a wave of energy come over him, knowing he was closer to finding his sister. He may not have known exactly where she was, but he could tell she was near. He would protect her, and take out whoever had taken her. He walked a bit faster, his expression determined. What he wasn’t expecting was for Marina to grab the collar of his shirt from behind, turning him around another direction. 

“What gives?” Mars asked once he regained his balance. 

Marina gave him a blank look. “I called your name. You weren’t listening.” She pointed ahead to a nearby shop just outside town. “Crawford may have sent word to the guards in town, they’ll know what I look like.” 

Mars nodded. “Sure, okay.” 

“And that’s why I can’t buy it myself.” She pulled out money from one of her bags, placing it in his palm. “Look for something with a hood,” She thought for a moment. Crawford had only ever seen her in black, so the color felt like one she needed to stay away from. “Nothing black. Purple, if you find it.” 

Mars came back with a purple robe with a blue and white chain pattern lining the bottom. She pulled the hood over her head, concealing her hair and face. 

She waved for him to follow her, knowing she could very well be talking her final steps. She had long since accepted that she would die young, having faced her mortality every day for over ten years. During those times she had longed to die, but Crawford had forcefully revived her each time. She couldn’t throw a fight, couldn’t kill herself, and knew Crawford found her more entertaining alive than dead. 

If something happened and she lost, he may not be so merciful as to kill her. Instead, he would trap her again. It wouldn’t be her old cell, she knew he was sadistic enough to find a cage for her that made the old one seem lavish. Without Fairy Tail to come back to, she wouldn’t have anywhere to go. 

Marina made a vow to herself that regardless if she won or lost, she wouldn’t be coming back. She meant it too, walking through the gates to the town she would likely die in, at least, until Natsu bumped into her. 

  
  



	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so flippin excited to post the next chapter

Marina had been so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn’t realized who the body of water coming at her was, and he was so enveloped with talking to Happy that he didn’t notice the person walking perpendicular to him. 

She panicked, and instead of moving in time, she froze, hitting the ground when he knocked into her. Her hood stayed over her face, but she was too stunned to do anything. A painful feeling in her chest rose, causing her stomach to her and her head to throb. 

Did he know about the Council coming after her? Did he hate her for leaving the guild? Was he here to bring her back himself? She couldn’t fathom Natsu coming back to the Devil’s Tomb of his own accord, especially when he knew she was going to pass through her to get to the Pits. 

Just like that, she realized she couldn’t trust her closest friend. The one who got her to come to Fairy Tail in the first place, the one who risked his life in a fight with her to break her out of the Pits. She had spent the last few days missing him immensely, not expecting the feeling of betrayal she was experiencing now. She longed to toss her hood off and ask him how things had gone so wrong, 

“Sorry about that!” Natsu said, holding a hand out to help her up. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Totally my bad.” 

She couldn’t speak, knowing her voice would give her away. 

_ Think Marina, think!  _

Talise, her dragon mother, could change the sound of her voice in order to attract prey. Marina had seen her once stick her long neck above land, mimicking the sound of deer, biting into one the moment it stepped close enough on the beach. It was the first time in years Marina had eaten anything but seafood. 

She directed her magic to her throat, something she had never tried before. This would either work out and she’d be able to escape without him figuring out who she was, or she may sever her own vocal cords on accident. 

She would make her voice softer, Marina decided. Kinder, the voice of a young girl, ten or so years younger than Marina was now. “No, it’s okay,” She grabbed his hand, keeping her head low to not show her face. “I wasn’t paying attention either.” She swallowed hard, the magic feeling heavy in her throat. 

She felt Natsu’s gaze on her, and she dared not look up to see with her own eyes. She was afraid what she may see in them.

He hummed for a moment, as if thinking. “Hey, can I ask you something?” 

Her heart raced, but she kept her tone calm. “What is it?” 

“Have you seen a girl with blue hair?” He asked, leaning down a bit and holding out a hand near the top of her head. “She’s about your height.”

“Sorry but-” Mars pushed himself between Marina and Natsu. “My sister and I need to get home immediately.” He grabbed Marina’s hand, pulling her away from Natsu and Happy. 

“Yeah, sure.” Natsu stared after them with a quirked eyebrow. “That was weird, right?” Natsu looked to Happy, who shrugged. 

“I can barely tell anymore.” 

-

Marina didn’t lift her eyes from the ground the entire time Mars pulled her through the town. She felt Natsu get farther and farther away by the moment. 

She wondered what he thought of her now. Maybe a coward? Maybe he thought she was every bit a monster as the crowds in the Pits. Or maybe, it was best if she didn’t know. He would be safer without her around, everyone would. It didn’t matter what they thought of her now, she supposed. If Crawford was gone, things would be better. 

If she was gone, things would be better. 

Mars pulled her into an alley, turning around and in a hushed whisper, “Are you okay?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer. “I thought we were screwed for sure, like two seconds after we walked into town too. What are the chances?” He took in a deep breath. “But we didn’t get caught, so far so good.” 

“So far so good,” Marina repeated monotonously. She gazed off, trying to feel for human sized bodies beyond the town they stood. From this far away she didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary, so they would have to get closer. 

She grit her teeth. She was too frazzled now. Seeing Natsu had shaken her, but her resolve stood firm, if not more so. 

-

Laxus and Gajeel got off the train, the latter running to a nearby garbage can to expel the contents of his stomach. The former held onto a side rail, leaning on it for support as his stomach settled. The rest of their group followed behind shortly, either giving pitying or amused looks. 

“I never understood why being a dragon slayer meant having motion sickness,” Bickslow said as he and the rest of the Thunder Tribe slowed down for the two to try and keep up. 

“It’s stupid,” Gajeel said in a forced voice. “Doesn’t make any sense.” 

Laxus forced himself to stand tall, though his legs wobbled for a few moments. They had arrived at the Devil’s Tomb. Natsu had been stationed here to try and find Marina, so they’d meet up with him before dividing into smaller groups. 

“Wait a minute!” Evergreen said the moment they stepped outside the station. She pointed to a nearby merchant selling cloaks and other accessories just outside the town. 

“We don’t have time to shop,” Freed said briskly, folding his arms across his chest. 

“Come on, Ever,” Bickslow said with a shrug, his tiki’s chiming along with him. “You gotta get serious about this.”

Evergreen looked at them both dully. “No, you idiots. We should ask if they’d seen her come into the city.” The sun was high in the sky at this point, so it was likely the merchant had been here since the start of the day, hoping to entice any tourists or passerbys into buying their wares. 

Marina also had a habit of making an impression wherever she went, usually unintentionally. Evergreen only hoped that someone in or outside town would have information they could use to find her before it was too late. 

“Excuse me?” Evergreen said with hands behind her back, leaning in close to the navy blue hooded figure sitting against the wall, robes and other materials surrounding them. Surely regardless of gender they would be swayed by her looks to tell her whatever she wanted to know. 

“Hello ma’am,” The ambiguous voice said. “Take a look around, you’ll find something you like, I assure you.” 

“Actually, I was wondering-” 

The merchant cut her off. “If you are not here to buy, you have no business with me.” 

She stood up straight abruptly, taken aback. Didn’t this fool know they were looking at the truest and most beautiful fairy wizard in Fairy Tail? She put her hands on her hips with a huff, turning away, ready to march back to her group with no information.

Luckily, Freed had followed her to the stall, and nudged Evergreen’s side before she walked away. Urging her to pick something out and buy. 

“No way!” Evergreen pointed a finger at the merchant. “If they think they can talk to me like a common peasant, their products are probably as subpar as them!” 

Freed didn’t resist rolling his eyes. He scanned the table for a second, before picking up a gray tunic that was reminiscent of the color of Laxus’ eyes. 

“This please,” Freed said, pulling his wallet out and handing a somewhat absurd amount of money for the tunic. Freed leaned in closer, quieting his voice so anyone walking by wouldn’t be able to hear. He handed the merchant the flyer Reedus made of Marina. “Have you seen this girl?” 

Merchant stared down at the flyer, before looking back up to Freed and nodding. “Briefly. She had her companion buy her a cloak and wore it inside.” 

“How long ago?” Evergreen asked, excited by the prospect of her idea of talking to the merchant panning out. 

The merchant didn’t answer her, so Freed repeated the question. 

“A few hours.” 

Freed thanked the merchant and threw the tunic he bought over his shoulder. If Marina was here just a few hours ago she may have made it to the Pits by now. Hopefully Erza, Lucy, Grey, and Juvia had ran into her before then, but if not, they may already be too late.

“We need to find Natsu,” Was what Freed said the moment he and Evergreen reconvened with the rest of the group. He explained what the merchant told him, and the group rushed inside the town. 

“Fan out,” Laxus ordered, each member going in a different direction. If they were going to get Marina to come back after coming this far, Natsu would have to be with them. 

There were other blue haired girls in the city, certainly many with companions, but none of them were Marina. 

_ Damn it _ , Laxus thought to himself, clenching his fists and looking into the distance where he knew the Pits were waiting. Searching for Natsu would have to be left to his friends, because there was no time to waste. Marina could be fighting for her life right now while he was searching. 

“Fuck it,” He spoke out loud this time, but the noise of the city drowned it out. He walked towards the exit to town, where it became the deserts of the Devil’s Tomb. He felt something in his chest, a feeling he couldn’t describe. It felt like several things he understood, like anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, and betrayal. There was more to it than that though, something much more complicated. A sense of protectiveness. He would protect Fairy Tail and its people with his life, and wipe out any enemies that tried to hurt the guild. Marina was included in that, but more than that she was his friend, and he wouldn’t let anyone, least of all Crawford or the Council, keep her from her freedom again. 

“Hey Laxus!” Came Natsu’s voice from a decent distance to his left. 

“She’s already been through here!” Laxus called back without stopping.

Natsu didn’t need a name to understand who he was talking about. He broke into a run to catch up with Laxus, and then they broke into a sprint once together. They could only hope she hadn’t already found Crawford. 


End file.
